Hidden Prophecy
by JudeStarkeyMcCartney
Summary: Taking place after the ceremonial duel, Yugi Motou is having an extremely difficult time without his beloved Yami by his side. Just when he thought things couldn't get any worse, an unexpected guest visits him in a dream. Will things get better for Yugi? Or will they worsen and put him and his loved ones in harm? It will only become clear once they reveal the Hidden Prophecy.
1. Desperado

The frigid temperatures sent a thrilling shiver down Yugi's spine, causing him to roll over in bed and grip the sheets just a bit tighter. He released a slight groan, shutting his eyes with more intensity, praying that somehow school would be canceled for the day.

"YUGI!" A choked voice hollered from down the stairs.

Yugi moaned in annoyance, pulling the sheets over his head in mental agony.

"YUGI YOU HAVE ALREADY OVER SLEPT, COME ON IT'S TIME FOR SCHOOL!"

Sucking his teeth, the young boy finally rolled off the comforting bed and dragged himself downstairs to join his grandpa for a cup of coffee.

"Good morning, Yugi," the old man greeted graciously. "How are you?"

Using his arms to prop his head up, Yugi's focus dwindled away from the older man and more towards the back of his eyelids. He grumbled a greeting in between.

Solomon's face grew weary at his remark and tensed at his grandson's behavior.

"Yugi…" he pouted while placing a hand on the teen's slumped shoulder. "Why are you so tired all of the time? I worry about you."

Making as much of an effort as possible, the boy raised his head slightly with tired eyes to meet his grandfather's gaze.

"I can't sleep at night, Grandpa," he admits with a yawn.

"Is it that nightmare again?"

Yugi nodded slowly and rested his head once more.

It had been two weeks since the Ceremonial Duel. Yugi had lost one of the most important people in his life. He swore to himself he was going to be okay. Yami had done everything he could to make him into the confident person that he was beginning to become. They told each other everything. Protected one another with their lives. Nothing was left a secret. Nothing except for one thing…

How much Yugi really loved him.

They knew they needed each other for a while, and once they finally completed their mission, Yami had to leave. He knew why he had to, but somehow it still wasn't fair. For a long time, the young boy blamed himself. He cried at night, complaining about how selfish he was for wanting the Pharaoh back. However, as time passed, he cried for new reasons. He sobbed knowing that the Pharaoh would leave him. Didn't he say he would stay with him forever? How long was forever, anyways? As long as until you could free yourself from your captivity? As long as you could break away from your host? Because forever only lasts until you get what you want from the other, right?

Yugi blamed himself more and more each day. He grew hateful of Yami's empty promises. He had depended on them, and now he was alone.

It numbed him throughout the day, but attacked him at night. The hours when he should have been sleeping were the ones that hurt the most. 3 in the morning, freezing nights, darkness and absolute silence was when the memory of Yami liked to peek out. Nothing to soothe the little guy save for a tear stained pillow and window to gaze out, to remind himself that there was something more out there than this life.

"Was it just like the others?" Solomon questioned curiously before taking a sip of his steaming coffee.

"It's always a little different each time," Yugi revealed in tiresome. "Just enough to scare me in a new way every night," he muttered in spite.

Generally it was the same concept with each dream. It was always right at the end of the ceremonial duel. Yugi would win, every time. He hated every bit of it. He despised that every night, he had to see his lover walk away.

Sometimes, the Pharaoh would express his undying love for the young boy, and then continue to leave anyways. Other times, Atem would strut over to Yugi while he was on his knees and tell him how every step of the way he used the kid just because it was the only way out.

 _"_ _If I could have done it without you, trust me…I would have."_

Those were the ones that pained him the most. Those were the ones that caused Yugi to mix up his dreams with actual memories. Often treating the idea of Yami as someone as cruel as the one he experienced in his nightmares, for no matter what Atem could have said after the duel, each time him leaves. In reality, he left. So why would it matter anyways?

"Yugi, why don't you take a shower? It might help wake you up, besides, you're a little smelly."

Words that would have once made him cringe his nose and narrow his eyes in frustration were ones that now didn't even make him shrug his shoulders.

"Maybe later, Gramps."

Solomon didn't respond. His eyes grew wide as he came to the realization that his grandson was in some serious dumps. He only prayed that he would snap out of it soon.

"Tea will be here soon, perhaps you should get ready," the elder mumbled softly, dismissing himself from the table.

The short boy groaned in acceptance and made his way back to his room. He lazily slipped on his school uniform, not even bothering to throw on what was once his favorite jewelry. Yugi ignored brushing his hair in attempt to save time and brush his teeth. His tri-colored hair remained knotted and out of place, but it didn't bother him one bit. The amethyst eyes that once shined were dull and exhausted. Not a bit of it sparked care in the so called "King of Games." He made it downstairs just in time to meet Tea outside.

"Good morning, Yugi!" She smiled brightly.

Yugi envied her optimism. What the boy would do to have some for himself.

"Hi, Tea."

The tall brunette sniffed her nose in disgust.

"Yugi, I hate to tell you such bad news so early in the morning…and know that I'm only saying this because you're my friend, but puhh-lease take a shower next time you go out! You stink."

His only response was a slight shrug.

"I slept in, I suppose."

The young lady's blue eyes widened upon seeing the clear look of exhaustion on the young boys face. She instantly felt guilty for paining him so early in the morning. He had been in a bad mood recently, and what he needed was someone to cheer him up. She would try whatever she could.

"Are you okay, Yugi?" She asked sincerely.

What did that word mean anymore? Numb? Tired? Sick? Lonely?

"Yeah, I'm okay." His large eyes sunk lower to really glare at the ground.

Tea was dying to say something. She suspected that she knew the problem, but was unsure of how to go about it. It wasn't the first time she was put in such a situation, but no matter how hard she tried, nothing had worked. Her eyes wandered around for a few minutes, hoping that something would spark her to talk.

"I take that back," she refuted. "I know you're not okay. Let me try that again, what's bugging you?"

Yugi didn't take the time to look up at her. Matter a fact, he barely heard the words stream from her mouth. His mind was cluttered with thoughts of his loved one. Somewhere in his mind he was trying to convince himself that Yami really did need him. That what he said in those dreams weren't true. But after hearing it over and over and over again, he still wasn't sure.

"Yugi!" Tea jumped in front of her friend and crossed her arms in annoyance.

"I'm your friend and I can't stand to see you sulk like this day after day! You need help! Either accept it from your friends or we can get you to a psychiatrist, but either ways, please talk to me!"

Upon being blocked off, Yugi had to stop walking, slowly raising his head to see Tea before him. He wiggled his nose and yawned.

"Something wrong, Tea?" He asked innocently with his honey sweet voice.

The dancer didn't even know what hit her. She blinked a few times in surprise, but sighed to help cool her down. Did he not hear a word of that? Did he not care?

"Yugi, I know you are upset over the Pharaoh, but maybe we can talk about it…"

There. She lead him on to confess his thoughts, it was the perfect place for him to pick up!

Yugi nodded his head in denial.

"Not now, Tea. Can we continue walking to school, please?"

She wanted nothing more than to be mad at him. It annoyed her to see such a close friend be so depressed all of the time, but she couldn't express her anger. Yugi was just so sweet. Too precious and loveable for this world. It was a shame that such a pure person could be in such a mess. Truly, the world wasn't fair to him.

"Okay…Yugi…" she admitted defeat and marched on. Maybe she couldn't do anything, but Joey definitely can.

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"What's up, Tea?" Joey managed to greet before inhaling a Turkey sandwich in the cafeteria. Tristan sat beside him, pooling spoon after spoon of jello into his mouth.

"I need to talk to you about something," she informed both quietly and seriously.

"Hey, where's Yug?" He shouted over the voices in the cafeteria, eyeing around for his best friend.

Tea smacked her hand on the table before them, causing wide eyes to gaze upon her.

"That's what I need to talk to you about!" She screamed in a whisper.

"I owe the little guy my dessert. He beat me in the quiet game yesterday, the nerves of some people!" Joey spewed in between bites.

"Like you were surprised?" Tristan snickered mockingly.

"Why I oughtta-"

The two were about to get at one of their famous quarrels, but within seconds, a dark and alarming mood dawned over them.

The three looked over to see Yugi sitting down at a table all by himself, only a few yards away. The boy was gazing down at his sandwich, appearing as if he was engaged in a staring contest with it, but never taking a bite.

"Is he okay?" Joey immediately questioned in concern.

"No," Tea answered. "He's been like this all day. Heck, all week! It's driving me insane! He doesn't deserve to be this sad. It's beginning to affect me, I swear," she huffed.

Joey remained quiet for a moment, exchanging glances with Tristan all the while.

"You don't think it's because…?"

"Of the Pharaoh?" Tristan finished his sentence.

Their eyes peered over to their beloved friend, appearing to be only a human shell with no soul.

"Definitely," Tea answered.

Joey stood up from the table, waving his arm, trying to grab his best friend's attention.

"Hey Yug! Bud! Over here!" He hollered.

Slowly, their friend's head lifted up, peering around to see where the voice came from. He was so lost. Recognizing a close one's voice should be automatic, but this time, it was rather a dragged process.

"Yuuuuuuuugiiiiiii!" Joey whistled. Finally the boy caught Joey's eye, lifting his tray and lingering over to join them.

"Sorry, didn't see you guys," he explained quietly, dropping his tray onto the table.

Joey, Tristan and Tea stared at each other with similar thoughts.

Just what the hell were they supposed to do?

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"Bye guys," Yugi waved softly to his friends.

"See yah later, man," Tristan responded.

"Take care of yerself, Yug. Yah know my number if you need me," Joey assured.

The young boy began to walk off, but after a few steps, he stopped and turned around.

"Tea, aren't you coming?"

She had to talk with Tristan and Joey, they needed to come up with a plan. However, hearing his silky, lonely voice call out after her, she wanted nothing more than to join him in their walk. After a few moments of debating the matter, she sighed and spat out an answer.

"I have work today, I'm sorry."

He nodded in acceptance, sulked his shoulders, and continued to move on. If her hearing was right, Tea could have sworn he mumbled "Bye Tea" in the distance.

Once he was out of sight, the three friends turned to each other.

"Did you see that?" The brunette's eyes fumed.

"See what?" Joey asked.

Tea rolled her eyes.

"He looks so depressed. He really misses Yami. What can we do?"

"I don't know, Tea," Tristan admitted. "We all miss the guy, but it's not like we can bring him back. I think we really need to just wait this one out," he offered the idea.

Joey nodded in assent.

"I agree with this guy," he elbowed him. "There's not much we can do besides be there for him. The poor guy shared a body with the Pharaoh, it's got to really hurt to see him go. But the pain will pass, it always does." Joey shoved his hands in his pockets. It was a reminder for his friends, but it was also a reminder for himself. He didn't have the greatest upbringing with his alcoholic and abusive father, and being separated from his sister. Though in the end, it really just made him stronger.

"I guess…" Tea muttered unsatisfied.

"I gotta run home, the amount of homework I have is killing me," Tristan muttered. "I almost wish we were saving the world instead!"

Joey laughed in spite.

"I'm gunna hold you to that," the blonde jabbed. "I better get going myself, you gunna be okay, Tea?"

"Yeah," she faked a smile.

The two guys bid their adieus in headed off in opposite directions. Tea stood there in her lonesome, staring out into the distance, shivering as the wind hit her body.

"But I don't think I can say the same for Yugi."


	2. Don't Think Twice, It's Alright

The walk home was rather long and lonely, but Yugi made it back home all the same. He was surprised who he saw in the game shop when he had entered.

"Hey Yugi!" Grandpa greeted from behind the counter. "Look who's here!"

Yugi's eyes widened upon seeing a fellow class mate with long white hair. The boy turned around and smiled with his luscious brown eyes.

"Hi Yugi," he cheered.

"Ryou? What are you doing here?"

He didn't mean it offensively, but it sort of sounded that way. Thankfully the young man didn't seem worried by it, and gestured to the wall of cards behind the counter.

"I'm just looking to trade in some Duel Monsters cards. I'm looking forward to playing the game without having to worry about some crazy destiny or consequence behind it."

Yugi couldn't get over how happy Ryou looked. It wasn't even that the boy looked overly boastful or anything of that sort, but he just appeared so peaceful and relaxed. It was something Yugi was dying to taste.

"Yugi, I invited Ryou for dinner. Maybe you two can watch a movie or something after?"

He raised his eyebrows in confusion.

"But it's a school night, grandpa."

"Oh don't worry about that," the elder winked. "Say, Yugi, can you help me grab a few boxes from the storage room? Then we can lead Ryou upstairs and get him a drink."

Yugi nodded in assent, peering over at the white haired boy all the while. There was something about him that gave off comforting vibes… a sensation that didn't feel in reach.

The two walked over to the backroom. Solomon peeked over his head to make sure Ryou wasn't listening before beginning to talk.

"Yugi, I invited your friend for dinner so you could catch up on life and hopefully cheer up a bit. I can see the exhaustion in your eyes, I think you need this, my boy."

"Do you just invite any of my friends over that you see?" Yugi muttered.

"Come now, Ryou is different. He knows what it's like to be inhabited by another spirit. This could really help you. It'll be effective to talk to someone that knows what you're going through."

Yugi rolled his eyes in annoyance.

"I know you're trying to help, Grandpa, but Ryou was possessed by a demonic spirt! I shared my body with a wonderful Pharaoh. There is nothing to compare between the two of us! He has no idea what I'm going through, heck, he's probably having a blast right now! Couldn't you see that smirk on his face? He's living the life! And I'm losing mine!"

He didn't mean to snap, and he especially didn't mean to have Ryou standing by the entrance staring at them in shock.

"I'm sorry, Ryou!" Yugi reached out.

"Save it, Yugi," he spat while walking towards the exit.

"Ryou!"

The boy stopped right before the door, turning his head back slightly.

"There's a lot of things you don't know about me, Yugi. It's too bad you'll never know."

With that, he continued his journey back outside.

"Oh Yugi," Solomon sighed. "I just don't know what I'm going to do with you," he rubbed his head in defeat.

Yugi felt awful inside. He was going through troublesome times, but the last thing he wanted to do was hurt his friends. He prayed Ryou would forgive him in the future, but right now he just couldn't deal with the confrontation.

"What do you mean, Grandpa? Please don't talk about me as if I'm a broken tool."

Solomon met his grandsons amethyst eyes, which seemed so dark to him recently. He ached to help the young one, but was unsure of how to go about it.

"Yugi, we need to talk. We have to figure this out together."

The last thing Yugi wanted to do was cry, but the tears were welling up in his eyes without his permission.

"This isn't the millennium puzzle, there is nothing to figure out!" Yugi sobbed. "I'm alone. That's it. He's gone. Every time I go to my room, I'm alone. That's it. That's all there is!"

Yugi stood there for a single moment, tears welling from his eyes faster each second, and then made a run for his room.

The boy jumped onto his bed and cried into his pillow. Solomon didn't follow him, but as the hours passed, people grew nervous.

"Yugi, come eat dinner please!" Solomon knocked on his door.

Yugi refused to leave, he clung to his knees and used his elbows to wipe away a few stray tears. His phone buzzed a few times an hour. Sometimes he would read the texts, but mostly he just ignored them. None would be replied to.

 **Joey: Yug, how are you buddy?**

 **Tea: Yugi, how are you? Call me.**

 **Tristan: Hey kid, what's up?**

None of it was important. None of it mattered. If anything, he was just angry. Angry at himself for how childish he was behaving, and angry at Yami. The hours passed by with no difference in sight. Eventually, his guilt ate at him, and he picked up his phone to make a call.

"Hello?"

"Ryou…it's me, Yugi."

"Hi Yugi," he mumbled.

"I want you to know I'm really sorry about what you heard at the shop. I was just really tired and upset. To be honest, I still am."

"I can help you, Yugi. If you let me."

"I don't know." The boy drew patterns with his fingers on his bedsheets. "I feel like a lost cause."

"Let me let you in on a little secret."

Yugi's ears perked at the sound of that.

"Bakura was a son of a bitch. You knew it, I knew it…everyone knew it. However, he was manipulative. And I would be lying if I told you that everything he made me do was completely against my will."

The King of Games gasped at what he was hearing. Was his friend serious?

"Ryou?"

"He told me what the royals had done to his village in his previous life. They slaughtered everyone in his home town, just so the royals could have more power. He was the only survivor."

Ryou's voice sounded rather shaky as he spoke. It appeared that the Brit was re living some painful memories.

"I mean, think about it. What else does someone like him have to live for if everyone you ever knew was killed by the Pharaoh's people?"

"But that wasn't under Yami's jurisdiction…nor his fathers! It was his evil brother's…" Yugi called defensively.

"When you're an unknown villager, you don't know the difference between who is who in the Royal family. All you know is that they are to blame. Bakura grew hateful of them, of course, and became the Thief King. He took back what the palace stole from him, so he told me. Except, nothing could ever pay back the family and friends he had lost."

Yugi cleared his throat in fright. The way Bakura was being explained, well, he sounded like a sympathetic character. The poor boy couldn't imagine his home being destroyed by a dictator of any sorts. He would grow to hate them too.

But he also knew that the Pharaoh was not responsible for what happened to Bakura. It was his evil uncle. Neither the Pharaoh at the time nor Atem approved of that.

Though he had to admit, somewhere in his heart he was thankful for it, as crazy as it was to say. For without it, he would have never had the puzzle and could have never met Atem. Though, perhaps, things would have been easier that way.

"So as you see, Yugi, this wasn't easy for me. Bakura had told me this story quite early in our relationship. If I wanted to, I could have put up a much bigger fight to keep him out of my mind, and I did towards the end of it all, but by then it was too late. At first, I saw him as a friend. It took me quite some time before I realized how problematic he was."

"Did it hurt, Ryou?" Yugi whimpered over the phone. "To lose him? I know he was a maniac, but did it take some time before you got over it?"

"I'm still not over it, Yugi. This is probably something I can never truly get over. It changed my life."

Yugi sighed at the sound of that. That was probably the last thing he wanted to hear.

 _Oh great, I'll have to sulk for the rest of my life,_ he thought.

"But I wouldn't have done a single thing differently. Besides, just because I may not be able to get over it, doesn't mean I have to be upset all my life. It just means that I have accepted what happened as part of who I am. Once you come to terms with it, things seem a lot better. You just need to accept it, Yugi. Moving on doesn't mean forgetting. Just like holding on to memories doesn't mean going back. It all goes together somehow. You'll see."

Yugi absorbed the message and nodded.

"Thank you, Ryou."

"I just hope I helped."

"You did," Yugi smiled softly.

"Maybe sometime you could tell me about your Yami. I'd like to hear more about him."

The boy's heart grew heavy at that thought. All he could picture was his lovers deep crimson eyes, sharp cheekbones and seductive grin. What he would do to hold him.

"I'd like that," Yugi stuttered.

"Go get some sleep," Ryou suggested. "Maybe take a shower beforehand."

Yugi chuckled.

"So they tell me. See yah, Ryou."

"Goodnight, Yugi."

Well, he wasn't feeling great, but he did feel like he went up from a miserable to a numb. A nice hot shower might just thaw his frozen heart.

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"Go to sleep, please go to sleep," he mumbled to himself while flopping sides of the bed. He found it rather funny how during class he felt like sleeping was all he could do, but when he was finally comfortable in bed at 2 in the morning, it was the last thing he manage.

Thoughts bounced off the walls of his mind, making it impossible for him to drift off into a slumber. A part of him was scared to sleep anyways; worried that those nightmares would come back.

After another hour of tossing and turning, Yugi resigned the fight to sleep and grabbed his phone to scroll through. He opened up 5 new messages.

 **Joey: Dude, you better not be ignoring me again.**

 **I'm gunna beat your ass in a duel if you're ignoring me.**

Yugi grinned softly at his empty threat.

 **Tea: Yugi, please call me. I want to talk to you.**

 **Goodnight, Yugi.**

Yugi felt a little bad for not responding to Tea. He knew she only wanted the best for him, but lately he found her so annoying. Sure he loved a good friendship speech when he was happy and in the mood, but couldn't she understand that what he really needed now was alone time? Maybe he would tell her tomorrow.

 **Tristan: Can you help me build a better deck tomorrow?**

He closed out his messages and continued browsing around his other apps. His friends were trying so hard to keep him distracted, but it wasn't really working. If anything it made him a little more disturbed that they were trying so hard to make him forget his loved one.

 _I mean, he's not coming back anyways._

Yugi made his way to his pictures, gazing upon all of the old selfies he and his friends had taken after battle city. If only for a moment, they were all so happy to feel safe and be together.

He continued scrolling, but it didn't last long. His fingers stopped once he came across an unfamiliar picture. He hadn't seen this one before.

In moments the overload of emotions attacked the gamer, making him feel sick to his stomach.

Joey was taking the picture. They were in front of his Grandpa's game shop, the lot of them. Tea and Tristan were smiling innocently while Joey held up a peace sign and stuck out his tongue like a kid. However, what really got him was the fact Yugi wasn't in this photo.

It was Yami.

He had a cheeky grin on. It appeared as though the Pharaoh was a tad confused by what was going on, but decided to go along with it anyways.

Yugi wasn't sure how to feel. Was he supposed to laugh at his sweet Yami trying to smile for this selfie? Was he supposed to cry because it was someone he would never see again? Whatever the case was, he knew it would bother him for the rest of the night. He sent the picture to Joey, knowing he wouldn't get a response until a reasonable time in the morning.

 **You took this picture on my phone and never told me?**

He quickly went back to find the picture and laid down on his bed. There was no way he was sleeping tonight. He gripped his phone tighter, staring at the picture as if it gave him life. Though he resisted for some time, the comfort of seeing Yami lulled him to sleep.

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Yugi dropped to his knees in distraught, tears pouring down his eyes. His hands were shaking in fright, knowing that the move he made was one that would banish his lover away from him.

Footsteps slowly confronted him, his other kneeling down before him.

He took a hold of Yugi's chin, raising it to meet his gaze. The young boy took a deep look into his other's eyes, knowing that soon he would never see his perfection again.

Atem pitied the little one, it was clear by the look on his face. He cocked his head to the side, crimson eyes widened…not a tint of red on his creamy skin. Yugi sobbed continuously, feeling as if his lover was investigating his emotions for reason.

"But….but you said you would stay with me forever…" Yugi whimpered in humiliation.

Atem perked his lips.

"Aww, is that what I said, little one?" He responded mockingly, still checking out his partner's every emotion, as if he was trying to understand why he felt the way he did.

Yugi wept harder at the sound of his voice, trying to avoid his gaze and drop his head once more. This time, Atem aggressively raised Yugi's head, and appeared rather annoyed.

"People will tell you anything so they can get what they want." He glared into the little boy's eyes once more before dropping his hold and jumping to his feet. He towered over the boy, crossing his arms in disgust.

"You better learn that now before this world destroys you." He made his way towards the door to lead him into the afterlife, announcing his name for the spirits to hear. The doors opened slowly. Atem strutted his way towards it, Yugi watching his every move in misery. He was caught by surprise when his other stopped at the door, if only for a moment.

"If there was anything you got out of having me be with you, I hope that was it." His head hadn't turned to face the one who looked up to him. No. Instead, he happily journeyed himself into the afterlife, leaving Yugi to scream as the doors shut behind him.

 _People will tell you anything so they can get what you want._

"I won't forget, Atem," he sobbed once more before it all faded to black.


	3. 19th Nervous Breakdown

"Earth to Yugi? You in there?"

Tea waved a hand around Yugi's face aggressively in a desperate attempt to grab his attention.

"Where else could I go, Tea?" The boy sighed while tensing his shoulders to help keep himself warm in the chilly air.

"Well, nowhere else, I guess. I just…well, why didn't you call me last night?"

Yugi turned his head to meet her gaze. This was it. It was his time to tell her to give him some space.

"Grandpa invited Ryou over for dinner, but I kind of said some mean things. I felt bad and called him back, we chatted for a while. It was all of the confrontation I had the energy for."

Damn it, not again! Of course, as always, Yugi not only tells the truth but gets a little too nervous to stand up to his friend. He tried to egg himself on to speak further, but Tea jumped in much too fast.

"Ryou Bakura? What did you two talk about? What happened?"

"Grandpa wanted the two of us to hang out more to help us have closure about what we both went through. I said some apparently offensive things which kinda scared him away. It bugged me so much I just had to call him and apologize. He told me a little bit more about his yami and that was it really."

"Did it help?"

"I guess."

"So are you two—"

"Tea, please stop!" Yugi finally huffed. "You know I care about you, but these repetitive questions are kind of bothering me. There's nothing wrong with peace and quiet, you know?"

Tea's eyes grew wide, trying to soak up the words that the friend had spoken. Was she really that annoying to him? Well maybe he was annoying to her! No, but it would be a lot easier if he wasn't so upset. Words of anger were ready to shoot from her lips, but she just couldn't manage it. He was just so cute.

"I'm sorry, Yugi. You know I'm just trying to help."

"I know," he breathed. "I'm sorry."

Tea looked away, trying to keep her eyes on the road in front of her. There was something icky about the atmosphere today. A light mist of rain lingered over them, and the clouds were just a tad too dark for her liking. With every day that passed by, things seemed to be getting gloomier and going in the wrong direction. How she wished the sun would shine again.

"I was going through my phone last night," Yugi began to speak brining Tea's attention swinging back towards him. "And I found a picture I had never seen before."

She cocked her head in confusion. Though she was happy her friend was speaking more than he had yesterday, she was unsure of where he was going.

"What was it?"

Yugi pulled out his phone and scrolled through a few pictures.

"I was hoping you could shed some light on the matter," he cooed with hope before raising the phone to place in her hand. "I tried to text Joey about it, but he hasn't answered yet."

The brunette studied the picture and smirked upon remembering it.

"Oh yeah! I forgot about this! Wow, this was some time ago…"

"When was it?"

"Hm…it was right after that date that you made me go on with the Pharaoh. Around that same time. Definitely before battle city, how could I forget that black crop top? That was a cute outfit I wore."

Yugi chuckled at her excitement.

"We were all meeting up a couple of days after Kaiba had announced his new Tournament. Since we had a few days before the games begun, we were all hanging out and were about to go to Burger World. Joey insisted that we come over to surprise you, so your Grandpa let us in, and we found the Pharaoh sitting in your room trying to get his deck ready."

 _"_ _SURPRISE YUG!" Joey botched the door down and stood cheekily before his good friend. Tristan and Tea both followed with a few innocent giggles._

 _"_ _Oh, hello Joey. Tristan, Tea" The Pharaoh nodded with an embarrassed smile._

 _"_ _Uh…you're not Yugi, are yah?" Joey scratched his head in curiosity._

 _"_ _Not quite," he snickered._

 _"_ _Ah yah see what I have to deal with? Some people accidentally walk in on sex or masturbating, but me…no, I accidentally walk in a 5,000 year old Pharaoh taking control of my best buds body!" Joey gestured to his friends obnoxiously._

 _Tea and Tristan laughed at their overly dramatic friend._

 _"_ _It's a lot less strange than you may have guessed. I'm simply preparing Yugi and I's deck for Battle City. He gave me permission."_

 _Joey inched in closer, eyeing the man with question._

 _"_ _Are yer hands clean?" He cooed._

 _"_ _Joey!" Tea hollered._

 _Yami laughed matter-a-factly._

 _"_ _I assure you they are very clean."_

 _Joey continued to eye the other. Yami caught up on this and raised his eyebrows._

 _"_ _If you don't believe me, investigate them for yourself," he implied cockily._

 _"_ _Okay, that's it!" Tristan interrupted in disgust. "Pharaoh, we wanted Yugi to come with us for lunch. Can you meet us down stairs when you're ready?"_

 _"_ _Yeah, we'll meet yah downstairs," Joey agreed following Tristan out the door. Tea had also inched her way out._

 _"_ _Tea."_

 _"_ _Hm?" The young girl turned around to see Yami waiting with a puzzled face. "Yes, Pharaoh?"_

 _"_ _I have a question for you."_

 _"_ _Uh…of course. What is it?" Against her wishes she stuttered out her words in nerve of being besides the Pharaoh._

 _"_ _Your friends," he began, walking to meet her at the door and begin their way down the stairs. "They are okay with me being a part of Yugi's life, right?"_

 _"_ _Oh of course! Those guys love you, and they owe you a lot for helping us make it out of Duelist Kingdom alive. Especially Joey, if it wasn't for you, his sister wouldn't have been able to have the operation."_

 _Yami spawned a grin at her words._

 _"_ _Joey's just really cheeky and immature. He has a lot of heart and determination, but when there's nothing for him to worry about, he reveals his more childish side."_

 _"_ _Joey is a good man. I just wanted to make sure he accepted me as more than a dueling partner."_

 _"_ _I wouldn't worry about that."_

 _The two of them finally made their way outside to meet out with the rest._

 _"_ _I will switch back now so you can have your lunch with Yugi," Yami initiated._

 _"_ _Wait a minute!" Joey began searching Yami's pockets. "If I know Yug like I think I do, his phone should be here somewhere."_

 _Yami let out a few disgruntled mumbles in question of what Joey was doing, but eventually he revealed a phone from his pocket._

 _"_ _It's time for your first selfie, Pharaoh," Joey sang out in joy._

 _"_ _My first what?"_

 _"_ _Just smile."_

 _Tristan and Tea huddled around Joey, whom extended his arm out and posed for the picture. Yami, in the heat of the moment, obeyed the blonds command, but was unsure of what was going on. Seconds later, Joey tossed the phone back in Yami's pocket and grinned at him._

 _"_ _Thanks bud. Yug will appreciate that one later."_

"It wasn't long after that until the Pharaoh insisted he switched places with you."

Yugi giggled.

"Remind me to thank Joey later."

Tea nodded confidently, feeling a little better that her friend was in a more approachable mood.

()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()

"That's weird, lunch is almost half way over and Yug hasn't showed up yet."

The three friends sat anxiously awaiting the King of Games arrival, but he was nowhere to be found.

"You walked to school with him Tea, was he okay then?"

"You have class with him, dork. Was he okay t _hen?_ " She mocked.

Tristan perked out his nose in a snobby manner.

"I only asked because you can actually communicate with him on your way to school. It's a little more difficult to talk to someone in the middle of class."

Tea sighed in realization.

"He was actually talking to me this morning. I told him the story about that picture of the Pharaoh on his phone."

"Mmm yeeahh!" Joey called out in between bites. "I wanted to talk to him about that! Geez, where is that kid?"

"He mentioned he was going to the bathroom before coming here," Tea mumbled.

Joey stood up.

"I'm gunna go find him. It doesn't take that long to take a piss or a dookie, am I right?"

"Ew, too much information!" Tea spat.

"Trying to eat here, Joey."

"I'll be back," the blonde huffed.

Joey picked up the pace once he existed the cafeteria, humming to himself for distraction in attempt to find the closest bathroom to where his last class ended. After a few more minutes, he slowly opened the door, but then stopped in his tracks upon hearing the sound of choked cries.

"Yugi?" He questioned while finally making his way inside. His friend didn't respond, though he could clearly tell someone was crying inside one of the stalls. Joey bent down to check out which kind of shoes the boy was wearing, and perked the ends of his lips upon seeing studded leather boots. It was definitely Yugi.

"Yugi I know that's you, I can see your boots."

The cries quieted down. Joey listened in to hear the heavy breathing of his friend.

"Yugi, come out of there and talk to me."

After a few moments of hesitations, a traumatized Yugi revealed himself from the stalls, embracing the taller blonde in a hug.

Joey held him tight, running his fingers through his friend's tri-colored hair.

"Oh buddy," he sighed. "Please tell me what's wrong."

Yugi backed away from his friend, eyes filled with tears and trying desperately to see through them.

"Tea told me you were feeling alright this morning, what happened?"

"I…I just…" his soft, angelic voice forced out what few words it could. "I'm sorry!" He cried out in hysterics. "Don't waste your time with me, Joey," he choked on his words. "I'm a mess."

Joey's honey brown eyes widened in shock.

"I don't ever want to hear you say that again, Yug. I need you."

Yugi's head dropped down to face the ground, his shoulders heaving in synch with his cries.

"People…people will tell you anything to get what they want."

Joey stood in awe of his best friend's behavior. He had completely changed moods and was surprised by it. This wasn't normal. The little guy was definitely not okay.

"I won't forget, Atem," Yugi mumbled as his tears flew faster.

Something had to be done.

()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()

"What happened to Yugi?" Tristan called out to Joey behind his hand, using it for privacy.

Joey slumped down in his chair. The class was still chatting while they waited for the teacher to come back. Lunch had only finished a few minutes ago and Joey never went back to the cafeteria.

The blonde nodded his head in denial.

"He had to go home. I brought him to the office in hysterics so they called his Grandpa."

Tea could see how Yugi was having a negative impact on the lot of them. Joey's face was drained of emotion in worry. He glared at his notebook in front of him trying to contain all of his wild thoughts.

Tristan muttered a few curse words under his breath.

This had to stop.

"It's not going to get better," a third party voice aimed towards Joey, Tristan and Tea. The three cocked their heads over to the source.

"Ryou?"

He wasn't looking directly at them, but rather past them in a lost gaze.

"I could hear it in his voice. I could see it when he cried. I can feel it when he's near me. He needs some professional help. It's up to us to get it for him."

As if the boy was automated by a robot, he looked down to his desk and continued to focus on whatever it was. Before anyone got a chance to respond, the teacher came in and silenced the class.

()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()

"Go to bed, Yugi."

"No! Noo!" The poor boy was screaming, tossing his body left and right and gripping his sheets and pillows as if they were his life line.

Solomon began shaking his grandson in fear.

"You're worrying me, Yugi. Please, please stop crying!"

This was not normal, Solomon decided. He was only getting worse. This couldn't be because of the Pharaoh, could it? Something else was happening here. Joey had waited with Yugi until Solomon came to pick him up. The poor boy was sobbing when his Grandpa had entered the building, so naturally, he asked Joey what happened.

 _"_ _I don't know, Grandpa. Tea told me he was doing better this morning. She said he was talking with her and smiling, which was unlike how he was acting days before. Even in class he was doing okay, but then he left us before lunch and I found him like this in da bathroom. I just don't know what triggered him."_

 _Solomon's face grew red at seeing how his grandson was behaving._

 _"_ _Oh, and he won't stop saying 'I won't forget', it's kinda freaking me out, Gramps."_

 _The elder took the boy by the hand and began to lead him out._

 _"_ _Take good care of him for me!" Joey called out._

 _"_ _I will, Joseph, thank you."_

Joey was right. Ever since he had brought the boy home, he could not swing out of his breakdown. Minute after minute there were tears and mumbled words.

"Yugi, calm down…"

"I can't! I can't! I won't forget, I won't!" He panicked, a look of absolute betrayal in his eyes.

"What can't you forget, Yugi? Tell me! Please!"

In that exact moment, Yugi stopped his crying. He ceased his panic and abrasive mood swing. It happened so fast that Solomon, if only for a moment, thought the child was possessed.

Slowly, Yugi raised his head to glare at Solomon. He took in a deep breath.

"No one can be trusted."

He dropped his head back onto his pillow and closed his eyes. If Solomon hadn't known better, he would have sworn he was fast asleep. It was over. His meltdown had finished. But how? And why? And what caused it to begin with? Whatever the case, Solomon was terrified of what had happened. He tucked his grandson into bed and made his way to the landline.

That was the last straw, he was calling the hospital. His grandson needed mental help.


	4. Dream On

Yugi shivered upon opening his eyes as a dark tingly feeling immediately overwhelmed him. His heart began beating faster once he realized that he wasn't waking up on his bed, but rather in a standing position in a place unfamiliar to him. This realization filled him up with anxiety as his eyes searched for anything to grab on to. The place was similar to a black hole; there was absolutely nothing except for him.

"H-hello?" He stammered while taking a few steps back. Suddenly his eyes caught onto a figure in the distance approaching him. Yugi let out a little squeal at the mysterious person, but once it inched closer, he recognized the outline of a very familiar hairstyle.

"Ya…Yami? Oh no…not another nightmare!"

His old friend continued to strut towards him, causing Yugi to stumble and fall. He scooched further away as his dearest love came closer. The poor boy couldn't figure out why he was having this dream, nor why he recognized it as such. This was different than his usual nightmare, but it scared him silly nevertheless.

Tears trickled down Yugi's face as Yami came closer. The Pharaoh's burning crimson eyes revealed themselves. Though the little one expected a devilish grin, he was comfortably surprised to see Yami appearing sympathetic and homey.

"Yugi, relax. It's me, Aibou."

Yugi tried to respond but he was too astounded, instead letting out a few more choked cries.

"Please, my light. It pains me to see you cry." Yami crouched down before him, laying a hand gently on his face. "I'm here now."

Shaking his head in denial, Yugi began trembling even more.

"No…it's not possible…you're dead…"

A sly grin appeared on the Pharaoh's face.

"You mustn't worry about that. We are bonded, Yugi. I am with you even after death."

Hesitation took over the teen, but after staring into his lovers eyes a bit longer, he succumbed and fell into his other's arms.

Of course, his cries grew louder, but the difference was he was overtaken with joy.

Yami chuckled at his behavior.

"Oh, how I missed you." He nuzzled his face into his hikari's hair, taking in the scent of strawberry shampoo and moaning quietly in satisfaction.

"Don't ever leave me again," Yugi whimpered into Atem's shoulder.

"I never left you, Aibou. I'm with you always."

He pulled away in order to meet his lover's eyes, grinning at the sight of bright shine of amethyst at him.

"But…But you…"

"You scared me dearly by your behavior due to my absence," Yami interrupted. "I have been watching you from the afterlife and was disturbed by your depression."

Yugi innocently twitched at this fact.

Yami brushed one of his Aibou's golden bangs behind his ears.

"I didn't want to intrude in your dreams. I wanted you to get over me," he admitted honestly.

"Why would you want that?" Yugi pouted.

"Because I can't be with you. I can't live with you in your world, therefore it would be selfish of me to intrude your subconscious mind simply because I wanted to. You would never be able to move on if that were the case." He sighed resentfully. "However, you weren't healing mentally. You were going in the wrong direction. My heart was filled with sorrow at the sight of you breaking down so frequently. I just had to reach out to you."

Yugi reached out to embrace his lover in a hug even stronger than before.

"I don't want to get over you, Yami. You are a part of me. You always have been and you always will be."

It was a beautiful moment for the two of them. They cuddled silently in each other's arms, and their bond began to create light around them, causing the darkness to shy away. Eventually the brightness caused some twitching, and they both pulled away and lovingly smiled at one another. Yugi could feel his broken heart mending with each passing second.

"Yami…."

"Yes, Aibou?"

"There's something I want to talk to you about."

"Is it the nightmares, Aibou?"

Yugi cocked his head in confusion.

"How did you know about those?"

It wasn't what he was going to say, but it was lingering in his mind nevertheless.

"I hope they haven't changed your opinion of me. I am no different than who I was before my leave."

"It's just, they seemed so real, you know? I was starting to forget about the Yami I knew and trade it in for an un-loyal stranger.

Yami reached out to grab Yugi's hand and squeezed it for comfort. The end of his lips perked up to a grin.

"He is not me. Who you are with now is the one you have always known, I promise you that."

Yugi nodded in acceptance.

"I was worried for your friends, my precious light."

Yugi's eyebrows rose at the gesture.

"You were?"

"Definitely. They were very concerned for you."

The boy bowed his head in embarrassment.

"I haven't been a good friend to them."

Yami sucked his teeth and rubbed Yugi's hand with his thumb.

"Don't say that, they know you are having a hard time. Your friends are very smart, Yugi. They know you would never try and hurt them."

"That doesn't make me any less to blame."

"Yugi…I know you feel like I have betrayed you."

The boy's head perked up to meet Yami's crimson eyes.

"What do you mean?"

"You know exactly what I mean, little one."

He was right. Yugi knew exactly what he meant, but he didn't want Yami to know that. It made him feel awful inside.

"I'm sorry…"

"Don't be, in some ways, I did."

"You didn't have a choice," Yugi tried to defend him. "It would have been foolish of me to allow you to be trapped in the puzzle for another 5000 years. It was the last thing I would allow."

"But I told you I would be with you forever…"

"I know what you told me…but you didn't know any better at the time. You had to go," Yugi whimpered with distraught, rubbing away a few stray tears all the while. "I…I wouldn't have let you stayed. Even if you wanted to."

The Pharaoh was taken back by that statement, flinching a bit at the very sound.

"It isn't fair for you to be depressed because of my absence."

"I'd rather cry every day of my life and know you are free rather than smile knowing you are enslaved to a puzzle for another 5000 years. I mean it."

Yami softened his gaze and hugged his light a little tighter.

"You are brave, young one. Never let anyone take that away from you."

The young boy nodded his head in acceptance. Though being reunited with his other was of great comfort to him, he was still aching to clear a few things up.

"Yami, there's a reason I was so hurt by you leaving."

Atem cocked his head to the side and raised his eyebrows. He remained quiet to allow his former host to continue.

Unknowingly the boy squeezed Atem's hands a bit tighter, preparing himself for a truth that could change the way his lover saw him forever.

"You and I, we never kept secrets from one another, so it seems. I trusted you with my life."

"And you with mine," Yami added, shivering a bit at Yugi's delivery.

"Well, there was one secret I held with me for a long time. One that made me regret not telling you before you left, even if it changed things between us."

Yugi couldn't stand to see the reaction of the Pharaoh when he was spilling out his heart, so he bowed his head in embarrassment and began to confess the rest to his hand.

"You weren't just a friend to me, Yami. You weren't just someone who was there along the way or helped me win a few duels. You were more than a consultant before I made a few crazy decisions… and I didn't let the Orichalcos take my soul just because I wanted you to solider on and destroy another villain or even retain your memories…."

Atem smiled weakly at his light's words. He knew his hikari was blushing like crazy, but he had to be sure. Gently he guided his hand to Yugi's chin, which caused him to pause his confession. The Pharaoh chuckled at how much of an impact he had on the boy.

"What are you doing?" Yugi stammered.

"Please look at me when you talk. I want to see your handsome face."

Atem smirked at the sight of rosy cheeks flushing his little King of Games.

"B-but…"

"Continue, please."

"We-well. Umm.., I forgot what I was saying."

Yami sighed at his pathetic excuse.

"Pick up with the part when you sacrificed yourself to evil in its purest form for a reason other than to help me save the world. I'd like to know what else could possible motivate you in such a scenario."

A shy smile found its way on to Yugi's face. He instinctively tried to look away, but was reminded not to do so thanks to Atem's strong grip on his chin.

"Love," he finally revealed. "I love you. I love you so much." Weak for words and swarmed in embarrassment, Yugi used one of his hands to remove the one that Yami had placed on his face in attempt to cover his flushed expression.

"I didn't just lose a friend after the Ceremonial duel, I lost my other half. My soul mate. My true love." For around the thirtieth time that week, Yugi broke down into tears again. "That's why I was so depressed! Every time I found peace, something reminded me of how you were gone. How could I live without the one I love?"

"Shh shh, it's okay Aibou. I'm here," Yami soothed his light. The poor boy was in hysterics pouring out his heart and soul.

"Tell me how you do it, Yami."

The Pharaoh cleared his throat and raised his eyebrows.

"Do what, exactly?"

"How…how do you go on about your life not feeling anything? You never showed any emotions. Unless you were screaming at a villain, I've barely seen you react to pain."

Yami could honestly say he wasn't expecting that question. His Aibou had a lot to learn if he thought that he never felt anything.

"Aibou, there's a lot of things you don't know about me."

"Well, I just shared my greatest secret with you," Yugi's soft, angelic voice pried, "So by all means, take a spin…try it out."

Yami scratched his head and prepared himself to reveal every single aspect he had once tried so desperately to hide. _It makes no difference now,_ he thought. _Besides, I need the boy to trust me again._

"Living in this life with no memory of who I was or how I got here was very difficult, young one. All I ever knew was that for some reason, I belonged in this puzzle."

The two changed positions, sitting beside one another and appropriately listening to what the other had to say.

"I could never complain or sulk with any of you or your friends around. The last thing I wanted was to scare everyone or make them think I was incapable. Unfortunately, I would release my emotions at night in my soul room when no one was around to watch."

Yugi felt awful with each word the Pharaoh spoke. How could he be so foolish? He should have known! Sure, it was a spirit that lived in his puzzle, but he was human after all. The boy could only imagine the terror of it, sitting alone in a never-ending labyrinth by his lonesome, weeping simply because he didn't know where he belonged.

"That was just the least of it. I never knew how extreme despair could be until I lost you, Aibou."

The young one perked his ears and looked up to see Yami's face, whom was looking off into the distance most likely reminiscing the pain.

"Yami…"

"There was no reason for you to see me sad Aibou because when you were with me there was no reason to be."

Yugi could feel his heart melt by his words.

"You never saw how bad my condition was when you were gone. Your friends did, but once it was over I requested that they never told you. Even with my newly found memories of my ancient past I cannot recall a time I was any more hopeless than when I lost you, Aibou."

The teen could not believe what he was hearing. Did he really care that much about him?

"How bad was it?" The little one stuttered.

"Oh," Yami chuckled. "It was bad. I was punching walls, sobbing all of the time. There was not a moment I didn't blame myself for your capture. Joey even punched me in the face and I was still too weak to react.

"You're kidding?!"

"I wish I was," Yami snickered at the memory. "Truth is, Aibou, I acted this way because… I love you too."

"You—you love me?"

Atem looked down at his precious light, taking in every feature on his golden body. He was surging with need and pleasure at their relationship together. Seductively the Pharaoh bit his lips at the glimmer in his Aibou's eyes.

"So fucking much."

Aggressively the Pharaoh took Yugi into his arms, bringing his face to his and collapsing his lips onto Yugi's. The boy was in total shock at his demanding other, but succumbed himself to him anyways. The kiss was passionate and meaningful, Atem moaning in between breaths and fighting Yugi for dominance. Seconds later his tongue snaked in through, squeezing his partner tighter and exploring the boy's upper body.

If Yugi wasn't sure before, he was positive now that he was in total love with his Yami. Their embrace surged an emotion of desire that he had never experienced before. Everything was perfect the way it was now.

A passing shadow in the background interrupted the powerful grip between the two men, causing them to pull apart and try and chase the darkness with their eyes.

"What was that?" Yugi panicked.

Atem took in a few more deep breaths to try and catch up with the reality of the situation.

"Your dream, it's ending."

"But…I don't want to wake up!" The young boy pleaded with passionate eyes.

"I'm sorry, Aibou, but the darkness is creeping in."

Yugi collapsed into Yami's arm in fear.

"But I don't want to leave you! I would do anything to stay with you for just a little longer! Please! Don't let them take me from you."

Atem sucked his teeth at his light's plea. The shadows began hissing, circling them faster and attempting to take control.

"It's not you they're after…it's me."

Unfortunately, this worried Yugi even more. What kind of afterlife was Yami dwelling in? This wasn't right.

Yami grabbed Yugi's arms, making the younger boy face him. He cowered under the Pharaoh's serious expression.

"Yugi, I need you to listen to me."

"But…"

"No buts, Yugi. Listen carefully. I need to go now, and you will be waking up shortly after. I have crossed a serious line by visiting you tonight, and whether or not this will cause trouble down the road is something I am not sure of."

"Yami, don't scare me like that!"

"But I will be back. Do not sulk anymore, my love. Your pain is mine as well, so please, be happy. The shadows…they feed off broken bonds, so your happiness is crucial to my well-being, mentally and physically. Do you understand?"

Yugi nodded aggressively, trying to keep a brave face on. Yami smiled at the sight of it, bringing in his light for one more hug.

"I am not leaving you. I will be back."

"If you say so…"

"And one more thing. Do not, and I mean _do not_ tell anyone of my presence tonight."

"Why no—"

"I don't have time to explain now, but I will soon. Please, I beg of you. Promise me?"

"I promise."

Yami's fingers stroked the boy's cheek one last time.

"I love you."

With that, Atem strutted his way back into the darkness, allowing Yugi to be saved within the light. It pained him to see him leave, but the hope of his return brought him the most joy he had experienced in a long time.


	5. Dancing in the Street

****Solomon took a large gulp of coffee while twiddling his thumbs and trying his hardest to pay attention to the TV in front of him. Unfortunately, never ending thoughts overwhelmed his mind. He had called the hospital the night before and scheduled an appointment with a doctor to examine Yugi for depression or anxiety illnesses. The elder didn't want it to come to this, but after witnessing his Grandson in an uncontrollable state the night before, he figured it was the least he could do.

The sun peeked through the window just a little bit brighter, making Grandpa more and more anxious. He knew soon his grandson would be waking up, and he felt awful knowing he would have to tell him of the drastic action he had taken.

Solomon knew that the boy was the chosen one to host the spirit of the ancient Egyptian Pharaoh, but he didn't know that his final leave would pull him into a depressive state.

Footsteps crackling the ceiling caused the elder to jump in his seat. Soon after, the shower began running, which caused a sigh of relief for the old man.

 _He's finally taking showers again, good for him._

It was a small step in the right direction; one that would benefit them all in the end.

Half an hour later, footsteps descended from the staircase and entered the kitchen.

 _This is it, I must approach him._

The elder cleared his throat and made his entrance into the kitchen. His eyes widened at the sight of a fully dressed Yugi, jewelry adorned on his body, and freshly washed and styled hair. It was the first time in a while he had seen the boy so…clean.

The teen hadn't noticed his Grandpa's presence, and continued to pour himself a cup of coffee, adding in lots of cream and sugar to sweeten it up.

Grandpa smiled upon realizing how much more energy the boy had. He cleared his throat purposely to make his presence known.

Yugi turned his head over to acknowledge him and smiled brightly.

"Good morning, Grandpa."

Solomon raised his eyebrows in surprise at his cheerful voice.

"Good morning, Yugi. You look well this morning."

Yugi chuckled softly, preparing some toast all the while.

"I feel great! You were right, Grandpa. Taking a shower really does miracles to the beholder."

Solomon walked around the corner to stand beside his grandson.

"It does, I agree," the old man grinned. "I wish I had known you were going to change right away, I would have stopped you."

Yugi looked over curiously.

"Why would you have done that?"

"Well, umm…" he stuttered.

"Oh Gramps," Yugi cooed. "You're funny. Did you want some more coffee? I'll make you a cup if you'd like."

"Oh no, that's quite alright, my boy. There's uh, just something I need to tell you…"

Yugi grabbed his mug and buttered toast and passed his Grandpa to walk towards the couch.

"I'm sure it can wait 'til after school. I want to get there early and surprise my friends. I haven't been too great to them lately. Tristan wants me to teach him how to duel." He explained from the other room.

Grandpa sighed nervously. _The boy seems to be doing really well and he had arranged plans with his friends, maybe the appointment can wait._

The elder nodded his head in denial. _No, he needs to go. He was uncontrollable last night, who's to say that won't happen again?_

He steered his way into the living room, a smirk falling onto his face at the sight of Yugi watching the Looney Toons. Sitting there with that cherubic face that he has so naturally, it's difficult to believe how strong he really is.

"Yugi, I called you out of school this morning."

The boy's face went blank as he slowly shifted his attention from the TV to his Grandpa.

"You did w _hat?_ " The boy had said it calmly, but only a fool would miss the anger in his tone.

"I called the hospital last night and I scheduled an appointment for you to have an examination."

The teen snickered at the very words and faced the TV again, not replying. After a minute of silence, Solomon formed a follow up question to assure his statement was acknowledged.

"Perhaps you should call your friends and explain you will see them tomorrow."

Yugi laughed at Bugs Bunny and his quarrel with Yosemite Sam. He gulped a sip of coffee and munched aggressively on his toast.

"That won't be necessary," He swallowed.

"Excuse me?"

"I _will_ be going to school today. It's already been decided."

Yugi's behavior was abnormal to say the least. If Solomon hadn't known any better, he would say he was a little fearful at the way in which his grandson was delivering these lines. It appeared as if he was completely unresponsive to the seriousness in his Grandpa's voice. There was no whining or subtle complaining, it was confident and strong. Yugi wasn't just saying these words, but he had planned to act on them.

"Yugi, you will listen to me right now!" He spoke up fiercely. "I'm not taking you to the hospital because I think it's going to be a good time. I'm taking you there because you were in hysterics for 5 straight hours last night! Sure you seem to be looking better today, but can you blame me for being worried about you? Please, Yugi, make an old man feel better and come with me to the hospital."

Yugi seemed unaffected by these words.

"You don't need me to go to the hospital with you to get a new pacemaker, Grandpa. However, by the way your heart is ticking now, I'd say you need one."

"What is wrong with you?" Grandpa shouted.

Slowly the teen stood up, grabbed his backpack from behind the coffee table and walked towards the door.

"Have a great day, Grandpa." He smiled devilishly.

And with that, the boy left.

()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()

"Good Morning, Mr. Motou! Is Yugi there?" Tea grinned widely.

"Um…no, he left for school a little while ago…" he replied shakily.

Tea squinted her eyes unassured of why the elder seemed so disturbed.

"That's strange. Is everything okay?"

His attention wasn't focused and the occasional shiver that he bared proved something was wrong.

"Not quite. I had called Yugi out of school this morning to take him to the hospital to be checked for disorders, trauma…anything really."

"Naturally," the girl agreed.

"But…well, he wasn't himself."

"He hasn't been lately."

His eyes beamed up to meet hers.

"No, not like that. It seemed as if he had a different personality all together. I can't put my finger on it, but it was very strange. I have never felt more disrespected by him in my life."

Tea didn't like the sound of that.

"But, he's such a sweetheart. I can't imagine him ever being rude to you. He looks up to you more than anyone."

Solomon nodded shyly.

"He ran off to school to avoid me. Be careful. If you notice anything strange, have the school call me."

"Will do, Mr. Motou. I'm sorry about Yugi, I really hope he gets better soon."

"You and me both, dear."

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"I kicked his ass soooo hard that it made the sound of a bass drum!"

"No way man!"

"You best believe it, Tristan!"

"I didn't realize the game would be _that_ easy!"

"Hey! Why you gotta be shouting things like that for everyone to hear, huh? It was very difficult for yer information!"

"I'll believe that when I try it myself."

"You have some strong words for a cheerleader!"

"So you want to dance, do yah?"

Joey and Tristan began squaring up in the halls, but it didn't take long for Tea to find them and quickly interrupt.

"What are you guys doing?" She interrogated with her hands on her hips.

"Tea, it's a little too early for you to intervene in our manly business," Joey steamed.

"Forget that," she shooed. "I have some news about Yugi."

Tristan dropped his fists and put a hand on Tea's shoulder to turn her around to face him.

"What is it?" He asked sincerely.

"Well, I dropped by his house this morning like I usually do, and his Grandpa told me he had already left and was in a strange mood."

"Yah know, I feel so icky talking about the little guy behind his back," Joey began. "Yug's my best friend, we tell each other everything. If he left before you got there he must be here already, let me go check the classroom."

Joey started to walk towards the room, but was stopped by an arm reaching out and grabbing him.

"Tea let me go," he ordered.

"Joey, listen. His Grandfather was shaking by the door. He couldn't even focus his eyes on one spot. The guy was terrified. He even said that he had never felt more disrespected by him in all of his life. You and I know his Grandpa really well, he loves that boy with his heart and soul…don't you think this sounds a little weird?"

"Listen, Joey! We need to make sure we can approach him correctly," Tristan agreed.

"His Grandpa told me he wasn't himself, as if a whole different Yugi was speaking. We need to be careful."

Joey didn't even look back at the two of them. The blonde was aware of how much they cared for his pal, but they didn't know him the way he did. He cleared his throat and broke Tea's hold.

"If there is anyone who can bring Yug back, it's me. He saved me more times than I could repay, let me take this one under my wing."

With that, he shook them off and continued towards the classroom.

"We better follow him," Tristan suggested.

Tea nodded in assent as they booked after him.

The three of them entered the classroom together. Class wouldn't start for another ten minutes or so; there was around 15 people talking with one another just to pass the time.

"Hey guys!" A cheery voice called out.

Joey redirected his attention to find a gleeful Yugi Motou waving his friends down from the corner of the classroom. He was with Ryou playing a game of Duel Monsters.

Wheeler lurked his way over with Tristan and Tea following close behind.

"I was trying to find you guys a little while ago," Yugi explained with an innocent smile. "I wanted to play a game against Tristan, you know, to teach him some basics to the game."

Tristan and Tea exchanged glances in confusion, meeting Joey's eyes just in time to seal the deal. The three were very surprised by his cheerful personality. It was unusual.

"Sorry about that, bud," Joey apologized. "I was telling Tristan about this game I'm getting close to beating."

"No worries," the young one beamed. "That's great, Joey! You always were pretty great at games."

Joey scratched his head in disbelief. This was unusual, but not in the way Tea warned them about. Quite the opposite, rather.

"Nahhh, I owe it all to your Grandpa," he blushed.

"Speaking of Grandpas!" Tea obnoxiously jumped in. "How's yours, Yugi?"

"Good morning, Tea," Yugi winked sweetly before looking back down at his game with Ryou. "He's doing wonderful, thanks for asking."

"Why didn't you wait for me this morning?" She followed up quickly.

"Play a card, Yugi!" Ryou teased.

"One second Ryou…" the boy studied his hand inquisitively. "Aha! I sacrifice these two monsters to summon Black Luster Soldier in attack mode!"

"Ahhh buggaah," the white hair bored mumbled. The King of Games smiled to himself.

"Yugi…" Tea tapped her foot impatiently.

"Oh, sorry about that," Yugi apologized sincerely. "I don't really remember why I didn't stick around, to be honest. I just remember making some coffee while eating breakfast, watching some TV, and then wishing Grandpa a good day. There wasn't really any reason for it."

He redirected his attention back on the game.

The dancer quickly looked up to see Tristan and Joey's reaction, whom appeared unsure of what to think.

Yugi and Ryou began talking to one another which made Tea feel comfortable enough to bring up the situation at hand.

"He…he's in a good mood. This is strange."

Joey snickered.

"Tea, did you just hear what you said?" He teased. "He seems to be doing a lot better, let's not get all quizzical here. I'm pumped to see my best bud so happy!"

"Same here, he looks great!" Tristan cheered.

"He won't look so great when I kick his butt in a duel!" Joey grinned cheekily while pulling up a chair besides the two boys, exiting himself from the conversation.

"I don't know, something seems a little off still."

"Don't think too much, Tea. Could cause serious brain damage," he winked playfully.

"That's where you got it from! Makes sense now."

The two laughed at their little joke and sat themselves down as the bell went off.

Yugi could not pay attention in class. He did everything he possibly could to be focused, but nothing was working. Only one thing was on his mind.

Yami.

That was really him last night, wasn't it? It must definitely had to be. He had never felt a connection as strong since he had passed away. If there was one thing he was sure of, it was that his Yami was back in action…somewhere.

But where, exactly? And why were shadows after him? He wasn't tricked into the shadow realm, was he? It scared him silly just to think about his other being in a place so devious and hellish. He was the last one to deserve that.

There was only one place that Yami belonged, and that was with Yugi. Perhaps that was a selfish thought, but Yugi didn't mind. After learning that his darkness had loved him as much as he did, the boy could spare a few selfish thoughts. It was out of love, after all.

Everything about life today was a little brighter for the teen. Yami slipped out a few promises last night, whether he knew it or not. The fact that he told Yugi that he was coming back brought so much hope and joy to Yugi's life. Not an ounce of sadness was in him, no, not now. He rested his head onto his hand in a dreamy state. He would be reunited with his love soon enough. Forever this time.

"Yugi?" The teacher directed at him.

"Forever," Yugi answered aloud dreamily, not realizing he was responding to the teacher.

The giggles of his fellow classmates caused him to wake up from his daydreaming and re-enter reality.

"That's quite a long time. When I asked you how long you haven't been paying attention I expected something a little different, but I assume it's the truth nevertheless." He took a yard stick and slapped the board to get his students to focus. "Now, let's pay attention from now on, alright, Mr. Motou?"

Yugi slumped his shoulders and bowed his head in embarrassment.

But not even that would ruin his mood.

()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()

Joey and Tristan laughed manically while skipping down the hall with Tea and Yugi by their sides. The school day had just ended, and they had made plans to go out for ice cream during lunch.

"Yug, pal," Joey breathed from his laughter. "Your response couldn't have been any more perfect today!"

"I didn't mean to say that," Yugi smiled shyly.

"Oh we know, that's what made it even better!"

"What were you even thinking about?" Tristan badgered.

"Oh, I can't remember," the boy lied.

"You've been in a great mood all day," Tea pointed out. "I'm really glad to see you so cheery."

"I'm glad to be it, Tea," he admitted.

"Any reason in particular? We were worried for you yesterday, but now you seem really great!"

Tea was still disbelieved that he was back to perfect health. She was trying hard to investigate his behavior without being obvious that she doubted him.

"No reason in particular," Yugi stammered.

"Leave the boy alone, Tea," Joey pulled Yugi into a headlock and gave the boy a noggie while he fussed about it. "Everything is fine here."

She faked a smile and nodded her head. Perhaps she would have to wait until the two were alone before asking further questions. They exited the school and walked a few blocks on their way to get ice cream.

During their journey, a black limo pulled up beside them on a busy road.

"Urghh…Koiiibbaaaa," Joey muttered in his thick accent.

"This kid could be a licensed stalker," Tristan huffed.

Slowly the window rolled down to reveal the face of the expected Billionaire Seto Kaiba. Yours truly, the man was obsessed with three things: Money, the Blue Eyes White Dragon, and dueling Yugi Motou.

"What do we have here," he snickered. "A bunch of lost puppies on their way to the pound?"

"Why don't you say that to my fist, Money Bags!"

Kaiba only chuckled at Wheeler's foolish response.

"It appears I touched a nerve in the Golden Retriever."

"If you think I look like a dog you must have never looked in the mirror you son of a bitch!" Joey shot back, inching his way towards the limo. Yugi and Tristan had to jump in front of him to hold him back.

Kaiba ignored the guy and refocused his attention on the King of Games.

"Yugi, I see you have returned from the caves and rejoined society. I'm impressed."

"Step off, Kaiba! Yugi's had it rough for the past week!" Tea defended. "Show some respect!"

Tea looked back to see Yugi's expression. The guy appeared calm and collected.

Kaiba down right ignored Tea's presence all together.

"When you're ready for a rematch, give me a call." The billionaire began to raise his window up again.

"Wait!" Yugi stopped him. Kaiba rolled it back down again, raising an eyebrow.

Once the two were face to face, Yugi took in a deep breath, and as if something about him changed, his eyes narrowed and his hands clenched into fists. Rage overtook him, turning his cream color to a flushed red. The mood around the friends changed leaving an ominous tingle in the air.

"You're a fucking sore loser asshole, Kaiba! I wouldn't duel you if you paid me! I only accept challenges from people who have a chance at beating me. You're whiny bitch ass threatened suicide just so you could win a fucking card game! You have the words prick fucking tattooed on your forehead, and I could never respect a wannabe duelist like you. So get the fuck out of my face and leave me and my friends alone!...Asshole."

Mic drop.

There was absolute silence for about 25 seconds, which is a long time in this perspective. Kaiba rolled up his window and gestured the limo driver to move, freeing the friends from having to deal with his presence.

"Oh my fuck…" Joey dragged out his words. "THAT WAS FUCKING AMAZING YUG! YOU REALLY TOLD HIM!" Joey hauled his friend into the air, the mood calmed, and the innocent little Yugi was back. He smiled.

"It was nothing," the teen grinned.

"You just totally told him off! Did you see the look on his face? Not even Kaiba could buy the look on his face, that's how priceless it was!"

"Dude you totally told him!" Tristan laughed.

"Just did what I had to do."

Tea stood in the background of their little parade. There was something weird about all of this. She couldn't picture in a million years her friend Yugi standing up to Kaiba in such a way. Not even Kaiba had cursed that many times in a row to them before.

The three boys celebrated at their Kaiba encounter.

Tea, however, officially promised herself to get to the bottom of all of this. Something was going on with her friend, something she believed that Yugi probably wasn't aware of himself.


	6. The Way You Do the Things You Do

"Hey Grandpa!" Yugi chimed upon swinging the Kame Game Shop door open.

"Ooooff!" The old man jumped in place. He turned around fearfully to see an innocent grin painted on his grandsons face. Solomon shivered at the very sight.

"Uh…you came home," he muttered while continuing to clean the glass cases on the counter.

"Of course! I do live here, you know," the boy giggled while making his way further into the shop. "Sorry I'm late, my friends and I went out to get ice cream."

"Oh, not a bother, my boy."

At this point, Solomon was just trying to avoid the boy until he could piece everything together. This was not the same Yugi that walked out on him this morning, and that thought alone was enough to get him shaking in his boots. It was important for him to talk to his grandson about it at some point, but for now, Solomon wasn't in the mood for summoning Satan.

"Was it busy today, Gramps?"

"Nope."

Yugi's eyes wandered around the shop, looking for things to do to help out his Grandpa.

"Want me to help you sweep?"

Solomon raised his hands in denial with a fearful chuckle.

"Oh no, that won't be necessary. I've got it!"

Yugi could see the sweat dripping down his Grandpa's forehead.

"Well, the least I can do is help with dinner…"

"No! Uh…I mean, I'll take care of that."

The teen raised his eyebrows with curiosity. What was wrong with his Grandpa?

"Is there anything I can do?"

"Nope."

Okay, now Yugi was really confused. He wasn't even looking him in the eye.

"Aren't you going to tell me to do my homework or something?"

"Go do your homework, Yugi," Solomon stammered.

The boy huffed in response, chugging his way up the stairs and straight to his bedroom. He tossed his back pack on the ground and threw himself on top of his bed in exhaustion.

"Grandpa sure was acting strange back there," Yugi sighed. After a moment of silence, he snickered disappointedly.

"Who am I even talking to anymore?"

He still wasn't used to the fact that Yami wasn't there to hear his thoughts and respond to them. However, it brought a smile to his face when he remembered the dream he had last night.

Yugi couldn't remember feeling any better than the moment Yami assured him that not only was he watching over him all this time, but that he was coming back and that he loved him. It lifted thousands of burdens off his chest.

"Oh Yami," he continued to talk to himself with that fact in mind. "I can't help but think things are still strange." He rolled over on his bed to lean on his side. "I really just hope that you come back soon. I hope you come back to stay"

A sharp vibration caused Yugi to jump in place and let out a little surprised squeal. He quickly pulled out his phone and rolled his eyes at the sight of Tea's name on the screen.

He stared at the name in hesitation, wondering if he should even answer it, but after a few drawn out moments, he decided to give her a shot.

"Hello?" He mumbled.

"Hey Yugi!" A too cheery voice greeted on the other end.

"Hi Tea," he exhaled.

"Are you okay? You sound kind of icky."

"I'm fine, Tea," he moaned, trying to hide the fact that he was feeling pretty decent until she called.

"I don't really buy it, Yugi. Actually, that's what I wanted to talk to you about. Ever since-"

At that point, a little switch flickered on in Yugi's mind. He was no longer biting his tongue to try and avoid to say something mean to his friend, but rather he could feel the flames of annoyance burn within him dying to release.

"Ever since you've been glued to my back like a wart, you've been really pissing me off. Tea," he cussed.

There was no reply.

"Did you not hear me? What are you, deaf and blind? I've had to deal with you all day and now I have to hear you complain over the phone too? Give it a break for Ra's sake!"

Breathing on the end line, but no words to join it.

"I'm not interested in what you think is wrong with me. Continue to bother me about it and you'll be in for a little surprise, got it?"

"….Yugi…."

"Don't waste your time swinging by the shop tomorrow morning."

With that, he threw his phone across the room and took in a few deep breaths. The boy closed his eyes and tried to relax. Soothing thoughts. Tranquility. Everything is going to be alright. Transformation.

Minutes turned into hours.

"YUGIIIIII IT'S TIME FOR DINNER!" A familiar strained voice hollered from down the stairs.

Yugi's eyes flickered open in an instant, smiling at the thought of a nice meal. He jumped off the bed and headed towards the door.

"Oh, my phone," he mumbled to himself once he realized he was without it.

The boy's eyes lingered around his room searching for it.

Hmm…where had he put it?

As if his prayers were answered, a quick buzzing sound got his eyes to flick towards the corner of his room. Yugi squinted his eyes in curiosity as he walked towards it and picked it up.

"How did you get on the floor? All the way over here?" he asked himself.

He looked at the notifications on the screen and noticed that he had 2 missed calls from Tea.

"Hm, I wonder what she wants," he asked in concern. "Hope she's alright."

"YUGI IF YOU DON'T WANT DINNER ILL JUST-"

"I'm coming, Grandpa!" Yugi hollered back.

He tossed his phone in his pocket.

"She probably just wants to talk about my behavior or something," Yugi giggled to himself. "Nothing that can't wait for tomorrow."

Yugi and Solomon sat together at the dinner table in the up most awkwardness. The teen wasn't sure of what to say due to his Grandpa's weird behavior a couple of hours before, and Solomon wasn't sure of what to say due to his grandson's strange attitude that morning.

The only sound that could be heard was the chomping of food and clashing of the silverware, which was no soothing music for either pair of ears.

"Uh…how was school?" Grandpa nervously questioned.

"Fine. How was your day?"

"It was well."

Deliberately the two tried to avoid eye contact, and immediately retreated gazes whenever they accidently met. After a little while, Yugi sighed and decided to speak up.

"What's wrong, Grandpa? You've been acting really strange today."

Grandpa still refused to look up.

"I could say the same for…"

The instant Solomon raised his head to see Yugi's face, he had to stop his accusation. The large puppy dog eyes that sat on the boy's face made the elder sigh and look up to the ceiling.

 _It appears that the boy doesn't even know that he has done wrong._

"Everything okay, Gramps?" Yugi questioned again. "You can always talk to me, you know. I'll always listen to you."

It wasn't making sense. How could Yugi be so ignorant to what he had done? Unless something was utterly wrong. But how could Solomon just casually bring that up? And who was to say that it wouldn't happen again? The moment he tried to question his well-being was when he had flipped out, so perhaps he should just avoid that. Though, if that was the case, how could Yugi ever get better? It was all too much.

"Grandpa?" The boy pried.

"Everything is okay, Yugi. Thank you."

The teen faked a smile to appease his Grandpa.

"Do you need any help closing up the shop or doing the…"

"Just finish up your homework and get some rest, my boy. That's all."

Yugi nodded his head and hesitantly made his way towards the stairs. Slowly he climbed up, stopping halfway to look back at his exhausted Grandpa. Part of him wanted to help, but the other couldn't help but think the elder was frightened. He hoped it was something that he could sleep off.

After an hour, the kid stripped himself of his school uniform and jumped into pajamas. Yami was on his mind before he drifted off to sleep.

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The soothing sound of a trickling stream woke Yugi into his dream. He shooed away a yawn and blinked heavily. Slowly he cocked his head around to get a glimpse of the scenery around him.

Huge oak trees surrounded the boy with leaves painted various colors. Their trunks were of a golden yellow, and the grass that he stood on was a sharp electric blue. Startled, the boy turned towards the river and gasped upon noticing the deep green that spewed amongst the water bed. It was a dream world of inverted colors, topped off with a soft purple sky and bright pink stars.

"Is it day time? Is it night?" He questioned anxiously while spinning around.

"I've been trying to piece that one together myself," a familiar baritone voice pitched in from afar.

Quickly Yugi faced the direction of the voice and grinned widely at the sight.

"Yami!" He cheered.

The Pharaoh had his back up against one of the trees with his hands in his pockets and his leg crossed over the other. There was a sly smirk coated on his face, but it was hard to be sure to what extent due to his eyes being covered by his sun ray bangs.

Apparently it didn't matter whether the guy was dead, in a dream or trapped in a puzzle, but something about this man was inexplicably seductive.

The way his muscles tensed in his arms without even flexing was a truly marvelous thing to the boy. Atem's tight black tank-top seemed painted on his chest, showing off each delectable feature that nearly made Yugi's mouth water.

The leather pants and studded boots served as an extra bonus as far as eye candy goes, but nothing turned on Yugi more than the sharp facial features and rather daring jewelry.

"Like what you see, Aibou?"

The teen gasped at the realization that he was caught with his jaw dropped open and wide eyes for his darkness.

"Umm….I….well…"

Yami chuckled and extended his arms out suggestively.

"Are you going to remain there or give me a hug?"

The embarrassed blush slipped off his face in relief as Yugi ran into Yami's arms.

"You came back!" He hummed into his shoulder.

"Of course I did. I did promise, didn't I?" Atem ran his fingers through Yugi's hair and tickled him slightly with the other hand.

"You did," Yugi giggled sweetly in attempt to free himself from the Pharaoh's cheeky touch.

"Have I ever broken a promise to you before?" He egged on with devilish grin.

"No Yami!" The boy whined.

"That's what I thought."

Atem guided his light down beside the tree to take a seat with him in the shade. He took hold of the younger's hand and stroked it softly.

"I missed you," Yugi looked up to see the Pharaoh's eyes.

"It's only been a day, little one."

"I know," he piped. "But I still missed you."

"Well, in that case, I have great news." He pulled a stand of grass from the ground and began chewing on it as if he were a redneck.

"What is it?" The boy beamed.

Yami sighed as he looked around and really took in the scenery of where they were. It was hauntingly beautiful.

"I can't get over how wonderful this place is," he mumbled to himself.

"Yamiiiiiii," Yugi whistled while leaning his head on his shoulder. Instinctively Atem began twirling his hair for comfort.

"My apologies, my light. It's just…do you ever wonder why we are where we are?"

Yugi shrugged unassured.

"It's just destiny."

"Looks like Kaiba just got another dollar," Atem joked, referring to one of the wealthy man's dramatic comments.

"Is everything okay, Yami?"

"Yes, Aibou. Everything is fine."

There were some philosophical questions that were begging to be discussed in the Pharaohs mind, but he tried hard to resist. What mattered now was that he was with Yugi, and he could not mess up now.

The older teen looked down happily at the sweet boy cowering under his body. What a precious boy. Its unfortunate bad things happen to good people.

"Are you going to tell me your news?"

Atem cleared his throat.

"Why yes. You'll be happy to know that I have succeeded in finding a way to reappear besides you just like I used to. No puzzle necessary."

"What?! No way!" Yugi jumped.

"Indeed. The only thing I can't do is take over your body the way I used to, but I doubt that will be a problem."

The boy nuzzled deeper within Atem's arms in pure joy.

"That's amazing news! How? How did you manage that?"

"Oh, it was nothing," Yami shooed pleasantly. "Not quite something a living mortal can understand."

"I'll take your word for it!" Yugi grinned. "I trust you with my life, anyways."

A somber smirk curled onto the Pharaoh's face.

 _You shouldn't, Aibou. You shouldn't._

"How was your day today?" Atem changed conversations.

"It was…kind of weird actually. I was in a great mood, but not everyone was."

Yami bit his lip.

"How so?"

Yugi's eyes drifted towards the nearby stream.

"Grandpa was kind of ignoring me today. It…it wasn't anything big but, it made me anxious. There's something he's not telling me."

Yami squeezed him a little tighter.

"It's going to be alright, Aibou."

"I hope so," he responded unassured. "And my friends, well they've been good, but Tea has been a little weird lately too."

Atem rolled his eyes at the sound of her name.

"You haven't told them about me, have you?"

"No. Why?"

"No reason. It's just…it's just…"

"It's just what, Yami?"

The pharaoh cleared his throat and brushed his bangs back nervously.

"Be careful of Tea, little one."

"Tea? She's harmless. Why?"

He nodded his head in denial.

"I don't think you understand. I can see things you don't."

Yugi picked up on his hesitant words and began to heed them.

"She's trying to tear you a part. I'm not sure why, but…" he refocused his eyes on Yugi's. "Haven't you noticed that she's been very clingy lately? She can't accept you for who you are. Whether you're happy or sad, she's trying to pick at you until there is nothing left. That's not acceptable! I keep feeling that she is up to no good…possibly working with a force out of your control."

Yugi pouted at the thought.

"She has been very clingy lately…and she is always doubting how I feel. I wanted to talk to her about it, but it never happened." The boy slumped back against the tree.

Atem faked a smile to help boost his light's mood.

"It's alright, Aibou. Just try and distance yourself a bit. If she can't accept you for who you are or what you're going through than she'll need to reevaluate her decisions.

"Whatever you say, Yami. I believe in you."

 _You shouldn't._

"Wise on your part. I believe in you too, Aibou. And don't worry about your grandfather, I have a feeling you too will be in perfect relations very soon."

"Thank you."

Yami grabbed Yugi in his arms and lifted him up bridal style.

"Yami where are we going?" The boy giggled.

"Enough chat, it's time to swim."

"In the green water?!" He gasped.

"Why of course! Unless you've seen any blue water lying around…"

"Can't say I have…"

"Then green it is!"

The Pharaoh hoisted him besides the stream and placed him down.

"Last one in is an evil Bakura," Atem laughed. He began stripping off his tank top and worked his way to fiddling with the zipper on his pants.

"Yami!" Yugi gasped in surprise. "What are you doing?"

Atem shot him a seductive smirk and a wink to follow.

"You didn't think I was going to swim in my leather pants, did you, Aibou?"

A flustered blush crawled onto Yugi's face as he avoided eye contact.

"Um….well…"

"Yugi," Yami paused for a moment to walk towards his light.

His light bronze skin shined in the sun, highlighting every muscle on his upper body and making Yugi redden more than he thought possible.

Atem appeared amused by the matter and extended his hand onto the younger's shoulder.

"Don't be scared, little one. I've shared a body with you for a long while. There is no reason to be frightened."

Yami rolled his eyes playfully at the sight of a still embarrassed Yugi.

"Let's keep our boxers on, alright?"

That snapped Yugi out of his daze. He nodded politely before stripping down into only his boxers. Yami giggled in the distance.

"What's so funny?" Yugi furrowed his eyebrows.

"You're boxers…they're cute."

Quickly he looked down and blushed even harder at the sight of his Dark Magician under pants.

"Checking yourself out, Aibou?"

"Stop teasing me!" Yugi frowned. "Not looking bad yourself, Pharaoh."

Atem also gazed down to see what he was wearing and bit his lip seductively at the sight.

"Eye of Horus underwear? Very classic, _Atem."_

"That's Pharaoh Atem to you!" Yami chuckled. Without another word, the Pharaoh Cannon balled into the water, splashing Yugi all the while.

"Hey!"

"Don't say I didn't warn you!"

"But you didn't!"

"Oh…I must have forgot," he winked. "Are you going to stand there all day or are you going to join me?"

It took a moment for him to reason out if the water was safe, but after a while he realized that he had bigger things to worry about.

Yami applauded the boy as he finally jumped in and swam towards him.

"What's wrong?" Atem giggled.

"It's freezing!" Yugi shivered.

"Come here, Aibou."

The pharaoh wrapped his arms around Yugi in pleasure.

"That wasn't so bad, was it?"

"Brrrr…not horrible."

The two swam around what seemed like hours in their pleasant company. The more time they spent together, the happier they seemed.

Yugi wouldn't trade this time for anything in the world. Every second of it was worth cherishing with his life. He just wanted to make sure it would happen soon again.

"Yami?" Yugi swam over to Atem curiously.

"Yes, little one?"

"You're coming back, right?"

"Like I told you," he wiped some of the water droplets off Yugi's face. "I can now be with you even when you're awake."

It warmed Yugi's heart to hear that.

"You're safe where you are, right?"

Yami cocked his head in suspicion.

"What do you mean by that, Yugi?"

"It's just…the way you left me last night…with those shadows and everything. It scared me."

"Don't worry about that," he assured. "Humans cannot witness the splendor of the afterlife or else they would lull themselves to death. That is why they appear as shadows. The afterlife may be great, but it still involves death nevertheless. As long as you fear death, it will appear as though I am living with the shadows."

Yugi sighed in relief.

"That's good to hear."

"Yugi…" Atem took one of his bangs and edged it behind his ears.

"Yes Yami?"

Yami's eyes grew large with love and emotion.

"It's near time for me to return. Would you like me to leave now so you won't have to witness the shadows?"

Yugi wasn't sure how to respond to that. He didn't want Yami to leave right away, but despite what he had said, those shadows were very intimidating. It would just make him feel worse to watch his lover be pulled away by them.

"….Yes," Yugi gulped.

Atem nodded sweetly.

"Don't worry, I'll see you tomorrow, my love."

"When tomorrow?"

"As soon as I can. If I am not there before you leave for school, remember my warnings. Do not tell anyone of me and be careful of Tea and her pessimism."

"Wait, you never explained why I can't tell anyone about you!"

Yami bent down and kissed Yugi's forehead softly and passionately.

"I love you, Aibou." He pecked the boy on the lips and raised his hand to his face and mooched that as well. "Til next time."

With that, Yami began walking away.

"Yami? Did you hear me?"

"You're smart, Aibou. Think about how my return to you could cause some problems."

Before he could respond again….

Yami was gone.


	7. Whole Lotta Love

The dreary alarm sounded loud and clear at exactly 6am, waking up little Yugi from his romantic dream. He groaned in annoyance at the light of another day, but decided that it was rather essential to get up anyways.

The boy yawned sleepily and made his way to the bathroom to start up a shower. Nothing said "good morning" like scorching hot water dancing on your skin.

After 15 minutes he jumped out and started dressing himself. His mind was rather vacant and numb, as far as he could tell, and he longed for some warmth and hope. He pulled out his phone and began scrolling through his pictures to find _the one._

He smiled shyly at the sight of Yami being surrounded by his friends.

"Good morning, Yami."

"Good morning, Aibou."

"AAAAHHHHHH!" Yugi screamed in surprise. He quickly turned around and nearly fell over at the sight of his beloved Yami leaning against the door all handsome like.

"YUUUUUGGGGGIIII ARE YOU PLAYING VIDEO GAMES AGAIN?!" Grandpa hollered from downstairs.

Yami chuckled in amusement at the matter.

"Uhhh….NO GRANDPA!" Yugi shouted back nervously.

"OKAY, COME DOWN AND SEE YOUR GRANDPA!"

"I'LL BE THERE IN A SECOND."

Yugi was shivering at the sight of his soul mate. He knew that Yami _said_ he would be able to reappear, but he wasn't really expecting it.

"Yugi…um, are you going to put a shirt on?" Yami gestured to the boy.

The teen turned back towards the mirror and noticed that he hadn't actually finished dressing by the time Yami had joined him.

"Umm…uhh…well…"

Yami snickered at his cute little Aibou. There was nothing that made him happier than being reunited with his true love. For soon they would be reunited permanently, and he would make sure of that.

The Pharaoh took a few steps closer to the boy.

"It's not that I don't like seeing you shirtless," he started. "Trust me, _I do._ " Yami's heart fluttered at the sight of Yugi's face blushing. "But you're shivering like crazy. You need to dress warm." He handed him his shirt and a jacket to go on top.

"You're—you're here…"

"Of course I am, did you think I was—"

Yugi dropped the clothes that Yami handed to him and embraced his other in a tender loving hug. Tears of joy streamed down his face.

"I didn't think you would actually come!" He admitted.

Yami's eyes widened at the sound of the truth.

 _I had to,_ Yami thought in regret. _It had to happen. This all has to happen._

"I would do anything for you, Yugi." Atem stepped back from the hug and cupped the boys chin in his hands. "I'd beat death to be with you again."

 _Because you have to, Atem. You have no choice._

Yugi frowned anxiously at the sight of sudden distress passing over Yami's face.

"Are you okay, my other?" Yugi stammered.

Yami quivered at the sound of the angelic voice.

"I'm fine, Aibou," he faked a smile. "How could anything be wrong with you by my side?"

A grin pranced onto the cherub's little face, causing him to collapse into the arms of the Pharaoh once more.

"YUUUGGGIIII ARE YOU GOING TO HAVE BREAKFAST TODAY?"

Yami laughed sincerely at the sound of Grandpa's voice.

"He's very persistent, that Grandfather of yours."

"Yeah," the boy agreed dismissively. "I just hope he's not upset at me for yesterday."

A wave of guilt washed over the Pharaoh, followed by a sigh.

"Why don't you go check it out? I bet he'll be happy to see you."

"Thanks Yami!" Yugi sang, running towards the door.

 _Don't thank me just yet, Aibou._

"Aibou, are you forgetting something?"

Yugi swung around to see Yami smirking with the boy's shirt and jacket in his hand.

"Oh…my clothes."

"Let me help you."

Yugi sauntered towards him in embarrassment, allowing the Pharaoh to carefully slide his shirt on for him. The boy trembled at the touch.

"Are you alright?" Yami questioned in worry.

"Yeah, it's just…you're warm. Your touch…it was very hot on my ice cold skin."

"Well, they do say hell is a pit of fire."

"YAMI!"

"I'm joking, Aibou. Now run along, go see your Grandpa."

Hope glimmered in the boy's amethyst eyes.

"Can I tell him you're here?"

"No!" Atem quickly refuted. "I'm-I'm sorry, my light. I promise to explain more on your walk to school."

"But what about Tea? She walks to school with me…"

"Be safe, Aibou."

Yami walked passed him and exited the room, shutting the door behind him. Yugi scratched his head in confusion.

"Yami?"

He ran towards the exit and looked down the halls quickly.

"He's gone," he muttered to himself.

"YUGIII YOU'RE BREAKFAST IS GETTING COLD!"

Yugi ran down the stairs slightly amused by his grandpa. He grinned at the sight of him at the kitchen table reading the paper with a mug of coffee.

"Finally, I thought I was never going to see you."

The teen giggled.

"Good morning, Grandpa."

"Good morning, Yugi," Solomon smiled. "Sleep well?"

"It was one of the best night's sleep of my life," he admitted.

Solomon's lips perked up happily at the sound of that.

"I'm glad you're alright, Yugi."

"Me too," he sighed in relief. "Everything is going to be okay, I've decided."

"Glad to hear it my boy! Now eat up, it's almost time for you to go."

Yugi swallowed a couple of eggs and a few pieces of crisp bacon, washing it all down with a small glass of orange juice and a cup of sweet coffee on the side. Breakfast was one of his favorite meals of the day. It was one of those times where he could just soak up the thought of a fresh schedule ahead of him and more memories to be made. It warmed him up. Life was good. It was all because of Yami. Yeah, it was.

Twenty minutes passed; the teen had joined his Grandpa in the shop as he waited for Tea to swing by.

"Yugi, you're going to be late if you don't leave soon."

The boy's legs swung anxiously from his seat on the counter. He couldn't stop looking at the door and wondering where his friend was. She had tried to call him a few times last night, maybe she was trying to warn him that she wouldn't be stopping by.

"I guess you're right," he mumbled. "I wonder why Tea hasn't come. Do you think she's alright?"

"I hope so," Grandpa grumbled as he leaned under the counter to pull up a few boxes of locked merchandise. "Maybe she's late or had an appointment this morning. You did mention she tried to call you."

"Yeah," Yugi beamed. "It's no biggie. I'll see you later, Grandpa!"

"Come home early to help me with the shop!"

"Of course!" Yugi dismissed as he ran out the door. He tightened the straps on his backpack and soldiered on to school.

"I knew everything would be okay between you and your Grandpa."

Yugi snapped his head to see Yami walking besides him.

"Yami!"

"You look surprised to see me, I told you I would come."

Warmth caressed the boy's heart. It was like nothing had changed between them. He was so relieved that Yami had found his way back to him. He couldn't think of a better gift in the world.

"I…I guess I'm just trying to get used to the fact that you're back. I couldn't be any happier, honestly."

A few pedestrians glared at Yugi as he continued to talk to himself. Yugi caught the stares and raised his eyebrows suspiciously, glancing back at Yami for explanation.

"They can't see me, Yugi. Just like they couldn't before. The difference, however, is I can't read your thoughts anymore. So, if you do wish to speak to me and don't want to be looked at differently, perhaps we should walk in silence."

"No way!" Yugi denied. "I know some back roads we can take."

The King of Games led his other down an empty back alley that would eventually lead to another.

"See? We're fine."

Yami snickered at his light's determination.

"Yami?"

"Yes, Aibou?"

Yugi looked up to study his love. Damn, what a gorgeous man! How he wished that one day he could physically be with him. He had never considered himself gay, but after living and growing with a living angel, it was hard not to fall in love with them too.

"You look hot in grey," he thought while checking him out. Atem had this grey denim jacket tossed on top of his famous black tank-top. He quickly licked his lips at the sight of the Pharaoh's chest popping out of it.

"Excuse me?"

Yugi slapped his hands over his mouth in embarrassment, striking Yami to laugh at the matter.

"Did I say that out loud?"

"My assumptions were correct," Atem chuckled. "That's not what you originally planned to tell me, was it?"

"Oh my Ra I am so sorry." The boy bowed his head to hide his blush. _Fuck_ , he cussed inwardly. The touch of the Pharaoh's hand on his shoulder caused him to look up.

"It's alright, Aibou. I'm flattered, really," he assured in his warm, seductively deep voice. The gleam of his crimson's eyes nearly burned right into Yugi's soul, making him blush more so.

"I'm sorry."

"Don't be, little one."

A few minutes of awkward silence built up between the two of them. The two of them were flirting a lot recently, something that wasn't so exposed before Yami had left for the afterlife. Yugi wasn't sure how to go about it all.

"Yugi, what were you going to tell me?"

They crossed into another alley together.

"Oh, I was just going to say that I was kind of worried this morning."

"About what, Aibou?" Yami responded protectively.

"Well, Tea didn't swing by like she usually does. I just hope she's okay."

Yami turned his head away and glared at the street in front of him.

"I'm sure she's fine," he muttered jealously.

He didn't fool Yugi for one minute.

"Everything okay, Yami?" He questioned while making eye contact.

"Yes, Aibou. I'm just, well, like I said last night. Keep your distance from her, she could cause some problems down the road," he warned.

"I wonder how," Yugi mumbled to himself. "But I suppose you're right. I'll be on my watch."

Atem sighed in relief.

"But since she's not here, can you tell me more about why no one is allowed to know that you're back?"

The Pharaoh cleared his throat. He was trying to avoid the conversation for some time, but he couldn't make an excuse of running out of dream time anymore. Besides, he found himself quite prepared with a fool proof answer.

"Yes. You see, Yugi. I went through a lot to find my way back to you. Originally I refused to return, because I wanted you to forget about me."

"So I could move on," Yugi filled in. "Yes, I remember."

"But when I saw you in so much pain…it was as if I was carrying it with me. I just couldn't bear to see you so hurt. Therefore, I came back to see you."

"Uh huh."

"I came back _for you_ ," Atem emphasized. "I didn't come back because I missed hanging out with your friends. I didn't come back so I could start a life on this earth."

"You didn't even come back for Duel Monsters?" Yugi joked.

Atem chuckled at the thought.

"Not even Duel Monsters, Yugi. I came back for you. But you must understand, I still don't belong here. In the afterlife for ancient royalty, there are a few tests one must go through before their soul is officially and permanently separated from earth."

Yugi listened with perked ears.

"As I persevered through my tests, cries of despair tugged at me from the direction of earth. It was very difficult for me to precede because of hearing your weeps. For how could I leave behind my loved one whom so desperately called out to me?"

Instantly Yugi felt guilt wash over him. He was responsible for Yami not being able to find peace. What a selfish boy.

"When I finally finished my trials, I stood in front of the gates of where I belonged. A guardian had read out my rights and the rules of what was to happen were I to accept. Basically they were along the lines of once I accepted my new home, there was no possible way I could return to my old one. No exceptions."

"You declined…" Yugi pouted.

"I had to."

"So where are you now?" His amethyst eyes growing wider by the second.

"I'm…I'm stuck," he revealed heavily.

Yugi's heart sank, making him felt absolutely terrible.

"How dare you!" He spat.

Yami, worried by his light's fierce words, raised an eyebrow nervously.

"Aibou?"

Yugi stopped in his tracks, facing the Pharaoh confidently.

"How dare you trade your chance of peace for me! Stuck? Stuck? You mean, stuck like when you were trapped in the puzzle for 5,000 years? Yami…you deserve rest. I won the duel for you to be free of your exhaustion, not so you could be s _tuck._

"Aibou…I did it because…because I love you," Atem stuttered.

 _Not quite._

"I love you too, damn it! That's why you should have left.

"You suffered over 5000 years waiting for me. I deserve to suffer too."

"Don't say that," Atem refuted.

He stomped his foot and began crying. "I can't believe how selfish I am! I ruined you! I fucking ruined you!"

Atem reached out to grab him.

"Don't swear, my light. Angels don't swear."

He grasped his love tightly, never wanting to let go.

"I'm here, Aibou. I'm here," he assured sweetly into his light's ear.

"You shouldn't be," Yugi admitted, turning around to face him. "How will you ever get home?" he sniffled.

"I-I don't know."

But Yami did know. He knew it all. He knew every single detail of what was to happen.

And that's what hurt him the most.


	8. Hey You

****"Psssssst! Yug! Psssssst hey Yug! Ova hea!"

Yugi's ears perked up at the sound of a familiar, obnoxious Brooklyn accent prying to grab his attention. The boy rolled his eyes playfully and turned around to face his friend.

"Yes Joey?"

The blonde scratched his head friskily and looked both ways before leaning towards him.

"I gotta talk to you bout something."

"Can it wait? We don't have much longer before Mr. Bostock comes back."

Of course Joey waited until the very middle of class to try and confess what was on his mind. Their English teacher had ordered them to stay quiet and work on their essays that would be due the next week, claiming he would be back in five minutes. Though the assignment was an important one, Joey was less than impressed by class work, especially after the adventures he had went on with his friends.

"But Yug, it's important!"

"Joey, it'll just have to wait," Yugi held his ground. "Tell me at lunch." The boy swung back towards his work and continued to write.

"But _she's_ going to be there!"

Without turning around, the King of Games sighed and continued to humor his friend.

"Who's _she_? Do you have a new crush?"

"Quit that, Yug! You know damn well who I'm talkin' bout. How can I talk about someone behind their back if they're going to be right next to me?"

Yugi turned back to face Joey in annoyance.

"The only girl who sits with us at lunch is Tea," he stated matter-a-factly.

"That's who I want to talk to you about," Joey whispered harshly.

At that moment, the two teens slowly directed their attentions to Tea, who was on the opposite side of the room sitting with classmates she has nearly never talked to. Her head was bowed down towards her desk. The expression on her face was haunting, for there was no emotion conveyed. She hadn't been working on her essay or conversing with anyone around her. It was weird to see someone who usually is filled with life appear so drained.

"Why does she look like a zombie, huh?"

Yugi instantly filled with worry and guilt, though he could not pinpoint why.

"We have to—"

"Quiet down class!" Mr. Bostock spat as he fumbled his way back into the room. "No fun allowed in school."

A suppressed giggle emerged from the class, for they knew their teacher was a sarcastic, dry humored man.

"Twenty minutes until lunch break, so finish up as much as you can now. What you don't complete in class will be assigned as homework, for I have a new lesson to teach when you return from your break."

Yugi snagged up his pencil and began writing quickly, his hand shaking all the while. For mechanically he was focused on his school work, but emotionally he was preoccupied with the well-being of his friend.

()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()

"Where is she?" Joey spat, head churning in every which direction.

"Where's who?" Tristan questioned.

"Tea, yah nimrod!"

Yugi sat shyly in between the two boys. He didn't know how to add to the conversation.

"Well, since she's not here I spose I can talk about her now."

Tristan smacked Joey upright on the head.

"How dare you talk about your friends behind their back!" He accused.

Joey jumped to his feet in anger, fists pulled out as a warning.

"Not badly yah moron! I just wanted to say I was worried bout her, dats all."

"Ohh…"

Joey sat back down, shoving a french fry in his mouth.

"She's been actin' strange all day."

"Yeah, I noticed that," Tristan agreed. "She got here real late, we had no time to talk to her before class! And then when she did come, she sat on the other side of the room."

"Yeah, and now she's not joining us for lunch!" Joey raved.

Yugi felt absolutely awful and yet he couldn't figure out why. He wished he had called her back last night. Maybe he could go looking for her—

"Do yah know anything, Yug?"

The teen looked up shakily to see his two friends nearly cowering over him.

"Uhh….no…" he replied unassured. "She tried to call me last night but I never got the chance to call her back. I feel kinda bad about it now."

"Hmm," the blonde perked his lips suspiciously. "I wonder what happened. Maybe we should go look for her!"

An agonizing stomach ache pulled at Yugi causing him to groan in pain.

"Everything alright, pal?"

The boy crouched over and grabbed at his tummy to help the tremors subside.

"My stomach hurts, really badly," he moaned.

"Let's get yah to the nurse, buddy."

"No! I'll be fine! It's…I'm going to go to the bathroom."

"Ohhh it's one of _those_ type of stomach aches."

"Knock it off, Joey!"

Yugi used all of his strength to get him on his two feet, dragging his way to the bathroom. He hastily swung the door open and trudged his way to the mirror. The moment his eyes met his reflection he swore he saw a face that wasn't his staring back at him, but it only lasted a moment before he screamed in pain, throwing his head into his hands to try and subside the aches. After enduring the unusual stings and blast of heat building in his body, he took in a deep breath and gazed into the mirror once more. This time, he smiled, satisfied with what he saw. A quick chuckle escaped from his mouth as he exited the bathroom with a grin, searching the halls for a certain person.

After a mere five minutes of searching, he spotted a familiar female scrunched up in a deserted hallway, tears emerging from her eyes. She cuddled her knees for support, letting out a few whimpers all the while.

The sounds of footsteps approaching caused her to quickly look up, fear filling her eyes as she stammered her way up.

Her whole body began to tremble as her hands held the walls behind her for stabilization.

"Who-who are you?" She stuttered in pure fear.

Chuckles of enjoyment escaped his lips.

"Why Tea, do you truly forget your friends that easily?"

Heavy breathing was the only sound that came from her direction.

"Why, I'm Yugi Motou of course! Known to some as King of Games."

"You're not Yugi," she spat.

That didn't jive so well with the boy. His eyebrows furrowed in anger as his face scrunched tightly.

He raised a hand and pointed aggressively at the girl.

"You will repeal that accusation immediately!"

"Or what?" She challenged.

"Or you will regret your very life."

The words dripped from his lips like poisoned wine into a water well. Tea was in complete hysterics. This couldn't be Yugi, could it? He would never do this to her…would he? She felt bad about being so pushy lately, but he wouldn't dare to go about and threaten her life, would he? No… not her Yugi.

"Hey Yug!" Footsteps came pounding in their direction. Tea felt a wave of relief overtake her, watching as Yugi turned around to see Joey and Tristan emerge from the distance.

"I found Tea guys!" An angelic voice spilled from Yugi's lips.

Tea was in shock. How could one moment he be so cruel and the next be so sweet?

"Nice one, Yug!" Joey applauded.

Yugi turned to face her with large puppy dog eyes.

"We were worried about you, Tea," he sang sweetly. "What were you doing here all by yourself?"

Her eyes widened at the complete change in Yugi. One moment he towered over her in power, and the next he was unusually calm. What came over him? What was going on? She couldn't tell if that was truly him or not…she didn't know what to say.

Could she speak to him currently as if he had never changed, or would that be the equivalent of confessing to the devil? She didn't know.

"Yugi…" she finally whimpered.

"Wouldn't want to be caught all alone, would yah?"

And in that moment, Tea had made up her mind.

This was not her old friend.

Her suspicions were right.

The boy had winked at her with a sly grin.

He knew what he was doing.

And soon she would have to tell Joey and Tristan.

For evil had dawned on them again.

But this time, it claimed her best friend.

And without his help….

What in the world could they do?

()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()

"I guess Tea wasn't feeling so good either, huh Yug?"

"I guess not," Yugi pouted. "She was sent home after lunch."

"How did you know she was going to be there? In that hallway, I mean." Tristan pried.

"Well, I went to the bathroom, and then I guess I just decided to go look for her. You guys saw the rest of it."

"She must have been sick all day, that explains why she looked all drab," Joey concluded while fishing through his locker for a few books to bring home with him. "That's probably why she was late too."

"And that would explain why she didn't go to lunch, she probably didn't want to make anyone else sick," Tristan added.

Yugi nodded softly.

"Yeah."

"Hey Yug, wanna go to the arcade?"

"Sorry Joey, I have to help Grandpa with the shop."

"Don't sweat it, kid," Joey pulled the younger boy into a head lock and preceded on giving him a noogie. "We'll catch yah later."

Yugi groaned playfully. Once he was released he ran off towards the exit and made his way home.

It was rather cold outside. The wind bristled its way under the boy's coat, causing him to chatter his teeth as he walked. His arms wrapped around his teeth to help maintain his body heat.

"Aibou, I told you to dress warm today."

Yugi winced at the voice, looking beside him to see Yami joining him in his walk. A huge smile slid onto his face.

"I guess I forgot," he shivered.

Yami swung an arm around his light, pulling him in closer to his chest.

"Oh my Ra you are so warm," Yugi nuzzled closer.

Yami chuckled at the notion.

"How was your day today, Aibou?" He asked lovingly.

"A little strange, but alright."

"How so?" The Pharaoh's rich voice investigated.

"Tea was kind of avoiding us all day, but I guess it was just a blessing in disguise."

"She avoided you?" Yami questioned in shock.

"Yeah, well, she was sent home after lunch. So we think she was just sick."

"I hope so."

"Yaammiiiii!" The boy poked his elbow at his other.

"I don't mean it like that, Aibou. I meant that I hope that her behavior was a response of sickness rather than the latter option."

Yugi clung closely to his love for comfort.

"What could that be?"

"Do you recall how I asked you to keep your distance from her because she was acting strange?"

"How couldn't I? It was only a day ago you told me," the boy giggled.

"Well, Yugi, you must understand that I truly do care for your friends. Tea has been very good to you throughout the years, however, I suspect that there is evil dwelling again on this earth. An evil that we thought we defeated."

Yugi pulled back anxiously.

"Evil? But I thought we defeated that type of evil? That's what the Egyptian gods told us when they were in their united form."

"Yes, I recall that. However, there was something that we missed. There must be. I can feel it strongly. I just want you to be careful. If Tea is under this control, she could be plotting against you and your loved ones right now."

"Pharaoh," Yugi whined. "I think you're taking this a little too far."

"You don't trust me, Aibou?" Yami's large crimson eyes peered into Yugi's. He appeared so concerned for the boy, it nagged at his heart.

"I…I trust you," Yugi bowed his head nervously. "But what makes you feel this way about her?"

Yami cleared his throat and looked up into the sky, as if it were a source of comfort.

"Yugi, I want you to know that I would do anything for you. I would protect you no matter what the cost. The last thing I want is to scare or harm you."

"Yami, about that whole scaring thing…you're making me nervous."

"I'm sorry, Aibou. I don't intend to. Let me provide some context." Atem reached out and grabbed Yugi's hand, squeezing it for ease. "As a being in between life and death, I can feel the distress of what is beyond this world that you might not. However, I can also see its impact as it intrudes.

"Recently, whenever Tea is seeing you, she sees an illusion of you. No one else can see it, only her. Her sight is tainted by evil, causing her to see a demonic version of you. And the more she believes it, the more she succumbs to its ways."

"What? How do you know about this?"

"I can see what you can't, Yugi. It's not her fault, that's just the way it is. She will try and convince other's that there is an evil within you, when really, the evil lies within her heart."

"How do we stop it?" Yugi trembled.

"I don't know, Yugi. But we can't let her false accusations spread. That will only feed the evil."

"How do we help her?" He quivered.

"I am unsure, however I will look into it deeply. I'm sorry to have frightened you, but I don't want there to be any secrets between us. I thought if I just told you to be careful of her, it would be okay, but you must be aware of the truth."

Yami suppressed a shiver, attempting to keep a straight face.

"Yugi…I…I just want to be with you forever. I can't bear to see you hurt."

Yugi couldn't control his mixed emotions on the matter. _He's just warning me to be careful, that's all. He just wants us to be together._

Yami pulled back, facing his light in front of him and peering into his angelic eyes. His hands grabbed onto his shoulders to keep him sturdy and focused.

"Do you love me, Yugi?"

"Ya-yami…"

Yugi was utterly confused. Why did his darkness appear so scared? So frightened…

"Yugi, I'm going to ask you only one more time." His deep, rich voice coated over every word. He sighed, worry seeping down his face. "Do you love me?"

Tiny tears trickled down Yugi's cheeks.

"I love you more than anyone, Yami."

Relief overcame the Pharaoh. He pulled his hikari into a passionate hug, holding onto him as if he were a lifeline.

"I love you more than you'll ever know, Aibou."

Yugi soaked in the coziness of his love.

"If there is a new evil out there…" Yugi stuttered. Yami looked down at him lovingly. "I'm glad we can take it on together."

Yami nodded in agreement.

"We make a good team, Aibou."

They both stood up tall, grabbing each other's hands and beginning to walk on together.

"Let's get you home."


	9. Mind Games

Tea curled up on her bed, staring at her phone besides her and chewing on the end of a pencil to help calm her nerves.

She felt numb to the core as thoughts bounced off the walls of her mind. There was nothing she wanted more than to call up Tristan and Joey and tell them what happened.

Part of her, however, felt like somehow, it was all still an exaggeration. She already had Yugi hating her, so she didn't want to make Joey and Tristan loathe her too.

Some type of involuntary emotion crawled into her every time she was near the crazy-haired kid. It felt unnatural. The more she thought about it, she couldn't tell if it was Yugi who was going psycho, or if it was her.

"Maybe I'm just paranoid," she muttered to herself. "I know what I heard but, something about it doesn't seem quite right. Could I be imagining this all? I wouldn't put it past me to be brain washed or something."

Tea wanted to believe that it was her fault for seeing Yugi be so freaky, but no matter how hard she tried to convince herself, she strongly believed that Yugi was under some evil control.

"Or maybe he just really hates me," she pondered. "I have to know for sure!"

Finally she grabbed her phone and called up Joey first.

"Tea? What's up?" Joey greeted upon answering the phone.

"Hold on I'm adding Tristan to this convo."

"A three way? Man, I love three ways! But not as much as I love four ways!"

"Joey please stop being so perverted."

"Lemme add Yugi to the line."

"NO! I mean…uh, no. Please no. I need to talk to you and Tristan alone."

"Man, the gossip is flying today, ain't it?"

"Joey…c'mon."

"Go ahead, add Trist."

Tea went on to dial his number and add him to the call.

"Hey Tea!"

"Hey Tristan, you're on the line with me and Joey."

"Urgh, that dork?"

"YAH GOT SOMETHING TO SAY, TOUGH GUY?"

"Would you two knock it off? I hate to beg but please I really need to talk to you guys."

The guys quieted down and decided to listen.

"Sorry Tea," Tristan apologized. "How are you feeling?"

"Pretty awful, actually."

"Do you have the flu or something?"

She started gnawing on her finger nails anxiously.

"It's about Yugi. I need to tell you about what happened last night, but most importantly, what happened today."

"Uh, is everything alright?" Joey questioned.

"Not really, Joey. Last night I called Yugi so we could talk about some things. It was supposed to be a nice private heart-to-heart, and I thought the best way to do that was over the phone when we were both in our comfort zones. But…but it didn't end up so comforting."

"What happened?"

"He said some pretty nasty things to me. I get that I was being kind of annoying, but he called me a wart on his back, deaf and blind, told me to piss of and kind of threatened me if I were to continue to bother him."

There was silence on the receiving end for quite some time.

"To be honest, I'm not sure whether to laugh or apologize."

"LAUGH? Why would you laugh, _Joseph_?"

"I can't imagine my pal saying that sort of stuff if the world depended on it. Especially not to one of his best friends."

"I can't either, sorry Tea."

"Is that all you ever do, Tristan? Agree with whoever spoke first because you can't form your own opinions?!" She groaned in fury.

"What the fuck, Tea?" Joey responded for him.

"Come on guys! I don't want to be the bad guy here, but tell me, would I make that stuff up? You heard him cussing out Kaiba the other day. This isn't our Yugi."

"I'll admit, that was a little unusual," Tristan mumbled.

"I'm not saying that Yugi is doing this on purpose, he would never do that and we all know that. What I'm saying is…either I'm delusional, or he is. One of us is not right in the head, and I can be upfront and tell you what I saw, but has Yugi done the same for you?"

"Whaddya mean?" Joey asked.

"Has he told either one of you any reason for him being so happy all of the sudden? And then snapping in the midst of it out of nowhere? Something pulled him out of his depression, and every time I try to confront him about it he snaps! That's not normal, you know?"

"He hasn't told me anything," Tristan confessed. "How bout you, Joey?"

"Nah…the little fellow has been pretty straight forward with me. I think…"

"He told us he was worried about you and felt bad for not calling you back last night."

"Bullshit," Tea grumbled under her breath.

"What happened today?" Tristan continued.

"Well, if it makes sense to you now, I wasn't sick today, I was mourning after what happened the night before. I didn't want to go near him at lunch, I was kinda scared to be honest. I knew the east wing isn't usually crowded with people, so I sulked over and broke down in the hall."

"I doubt Tea would just do that for fun, Joey," Tristan interrupted to help his bud understand.

"Well" she continued, "Yugi marched up to me before you guys got there. He had this fiery look in his eyes. The moment I saw him, I knew it wasn't Yugi. Suddenly, I wasn't so scared anymore. I stood up to him, but he threatened my life…he…he literally told me my life would be endangered. I—I don't know, it was frightening. Thank God you guys came. He turned into a sweetie again at that moment, or at least, I thought, but when you weren't looking, he gave me a devilish grin with a wink. I…I don't know what to believe."

Her voice was all choked up by reliving the memory. Heavy breathing came from Joey and Tristan.

"You're not serious?"

"Mhm," she bit her lip. "Completely. I was so shaken up I had to go home. It's been eating at me ever since."

"Ohh…"

"Guys…Please, I've been dying to tell someone. Please don't just shake this off. You guys are my greatest friends, I need you to trust me. You don't have to stop talking to him or anything, just take heed of my warning. Keep on the lookout for weird behavior. If you see something, question him about it. Once you see him snap, like really snap, you'll know the truth."

"And if he doesn't snap?"

"You'd still get the truth…that there's something wrong with me instead."

"Tea?" Tristan whispered.

"I can feel it in my bones. Something is wrong, I just don't know with who or why. It's scaring me, guys. It's really doing me a negative."

Awkward tension held up the line for a minute or two.

"We'll keep an eye on him for yah. We'll be careful."

"Please do," she begged. "I don't know if I'm going to class tomorrow."

"It was _that_ bad, huh?"

"I can forgive and forget, Tristan. But this time…the tension is pulling at me from every direction. It makes me feel physically sick. Yes."

"We'll be there for yah, Tea. For you and Yugi."

"Thank you, Joey."

And with that, she hung up the phone, praying everything would be alright.

()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()

"Hey Grandp-Grandpa?" Yugi stuttered upon opening the door to the game shop and not seeing his grandfather working the counter. He raised his eyebrows in curiosity at the sound of chatter coming from up the stairs.

"Grandpa?" He hollered up the stairs in attempt to grab the old man's attention.

"Yugi, my boy! Can you run the shop for me for a little while? We have a couple of guests! You can close it up in a couple of hours for an early night."

"Uh, sure!" He yelped back. "I was going to end up helping anyways," he mumbled.

The teen made his way behind the counter and just sort of leaned over it in boredom.

"Cheer up, Aibou. It's not like you have to solve any equations or anything," Yami teased, reappearing beside him at the notice of no one else being in the room.

"I suppose, I just thought it would be Grandpa and I working together. I hate being alone to work the shop."

"You're not alone, little one. I'm here."

Yugi eased up at the sound of that.

Seconds later the shop bell rang as a few students entered the store.

"Welcome to the Kame Game Shop," Yugi grinned.

Yami sucked his teeth in disappointment when no one greeted Yugi back.

"Imbeciles," he spat.

Yugi solely giggled at the notion, knowing he couldn't respond to him without appearing as a maniac.

"Can I help you guys with anything?"

One of the kids finally decided to look up and gaped at the sight.

"You're…you're Yugi Motou? Guys!" He began shoving his friends around in a desperate attempt to grab their attention. "That's the King of Games!"

One of his friends looked up, unimpressed.

"King of Games my ass! I heard he cheated the whole time."

Yami began clenching his fists in anger.

"Who told you that, was it Kaiba?" The first kid refuted.

"I don't have to be told, look at him! He looks like a cream puff just waiting to be digested. I could take him on right here and now!"

"Come on boys, I'm just trying to run my Grandfather's shop, please do your bidding and take your leave," Yugi pleaded politely.

"Yeah Zach, leave him alone."

"Oh fuck off!" He pushed his friend back. He quickly raised his gaze to meet Yugi's. "I didn't know we had a chicken in the house? Buck buck buck!"

Yugi rolled his eyes in annoyance.

"I think it's time for you to go."

"Isn't there a rule or something that if you decline a duel, you automatically lose your title?"

Steam started blowing through the king's ears as the heat swelled up in his body. He cracked his neck and then his knuckles.

"No, but there is a rule that if you don't get the fuck off my property in 10 seconds, I'm gunna put your ass there myself."

"I'd like to see you try."

"Did I say ten seconds? I meant right now."

Yugi swung over the counter in fury and ready to take action, however before anything was done, the sane friends of the group pulled that "Zach" kid out.

"I suggest you leave and never come back, assholes!"

The kids started scattering like flies off into the distance. Yugi smirked at their childish behavior. After a minute to calm down, he looked over at Yami grinning to himself on the counter.

"Did they buy anything?" He asked curiously, rubbing the back of his head.

"No," Yami revealed. "They appeared to be in a hurry."

Yugi shrugged.

"YUGI DARLING, IS THAT YOU?!"

"Oh for Ra's sake," Atem muttered under his breath.

"Please tell me that's not who I think it is…."

"If you mean Zorc in the flesh and blood, then yes."

The pitter-patter of tiny feet came rustling down the stair case to greet Yugi and Yami with an unfortunate sight.

There stood the tiny little blondie; Betty bangs curled on the tip of her forehead, straightened strawberry hair, dimples perked from a smile and a lacy white shirt a top of a frilled pink skirt.

"YUGI!" She giggled playfully before tossing her arms around his neck and pulling him into a hug. The boy winced at the contact and laughed nervously.

"Hi…..Rebecca," he greeted, though it came off as a mutter.

"It's sooooo great to see you again, my love!" She squeaked, quickly releasing him and staring straight into his eyes. "Now that we've gotten that weird Pharaoh stuff out of the way, we can start our long lasting relationship."

Yugi took a step back and repositioned himself to look at the door. _Maybe I can make a run for it._

The way he was standing he could see Yami rolling his eyes in disgust.

"Rebecca…I…"

"We can start dating and go out to the beach and get ice cream together and watch movies late at night and play duel monsters—"

"She's getting on my nerves," Yami groaned in annoyance.

He couldn't say it out loud, but Yugi smiled slightly as the thought " _jealous?"_ came into his mind.

Unfortunately for the teen, Rebecca caught that little grin on Yugi's face and took it as approval for her fantasies.

"Oh yay Yugi! I knew you liked me too!"

It was moments like these where Yugi wished he wasn't so shy and polite.

"Now I don't have to share you with a 5000 year old saggy ancient dead man." She pulled him into another hug. "Now you're all _mine_."

Rebecca was in a dream. She had always thought Yugi was lavishly handsome. She was rather mean to him when they first met, but couldn't deny that she was impressed by his looks. Perhaps he would like her too! And those suspicions were confirmed when he surrendered the duel and gave her the card he won at Duelist kingdom. Ever since then they were getting closer and closer, it seemed. Except, the only thing that ever got in the way was that Pharaoh! It was his fault that poor Yugi's soul was taken away for some time. She counted down the days until he would leave. Ever since she learned he was gone, she had begged her Grandpa to take her out to visit Yugi. Now, he was all hers.

Or so she thought.

In that very instance, Yugi's ice cold hands peeled her arms off him and pushed her back. Her body began shaking as she looked up to see a sadistic expression on her crush's face.

"Yugi?" She pouted.

"How dare you touch me," he snapped. Rebecca attempted to step back but tripped on her feet and fell to the ground, cowering below the teen as he stepped forward.

"How dare you assume that I would honor you with my presence." The boy began to smirk at the girl's distress, slowly taunting her with each step he took.

"And most of all…how dare you insult the high name of my beloved Pharaoh Atemu," he spat the extra syllable in rage, ready to prance on her for all her faults...the excitement he got out of the look of terror on her face was appetizing…it was tempting…it was…

"Yugi?! What are you doing?!"

The boy quickly snapped out of his phase and extended an arm to help Rebecca stand.

"Just trying to help her up, she tripped over her feet when looking around the shop," Yugi smiled innocently.

Professor Arthur Hawkins and Solomon Motou stood by the end of the staircase with horror on their face. For they had caught the end of that scene and were terrified by it. The two exchanged glances in shock, trying to figure out the right thing to say.

Arthur ran over to his granddaughter in worry, kneeling down to help her up.

"Are you alright, Rebecca?"

But she wasn't looking at him. She was shaking with eyes glued on to Yugi. The tri-colored hair boy didn't even pay a second thought.

"Why are you looking at me like that, Grandpa?" he asked in worry.

Solomon was gaping at his grandson's previous behavior, attempting to find a fiery gaze in his eyes or a demonic aurora overtaking the boy.

Nothing. Whatever had caused that outbreak had come and gone within a matter of seconds.

Anything that close to Yugi would be back again.


	10. Hello Darkness My Old Friend

"Rebecca, why don't you go upstairs and start setting up the table for dinner?" Arthur suggested nervously while helping his granddaughter up. Without much hesitation, the young girl scurried up the stairs and out of sight.

"Yugi, stay here and close up the shop. Make sure to count the drawer and check the inventory. Don't forget to lock up the valuables, wipe off the glass counters, sweep the floor and lock the door when you have finished," Solomon ordered stoically.

Yugi bowed his head in guilt.

"Yes Grandpa."

Solomon and Arthur exchanged a few glances before making their way up the stairs and entering the guest room to talk. Once Solomon closed the door behind him, words started to spew from Arthur's mouth.

"What happened back there?!" He pried, worry written all over his face.

"I don't know," Solomon answered honestly. "It reminds me of the behavior he was personifying a few days ago, just like I told you."

Arthur had been begged by his granddaughter to go out and visit the Motou family. Of course, it wasn't a big push for the old man, for he loved seeing Solomon whenever he got the chance. Being the friendly man that he was, Arthur caught up with his friend and asked him questions about how Yugi was dealing with the Pharaoh's leave.

 _"_ _It started off quite awfully, Arthur,"_ Solomon had admitted to his friend over a cup of coffee. _"Once he returned from Egypt, the loneliness hit him really hard. There was a two week span of him being utterly depressed; for a while I didn't know if he would ever get better on his own."_

 _"_ _That's a shame. The poor boy has been through enough, and now this? My condolences."_

 _"_ _That's quite alright, Arthur. Believe it or not, one day he woke up and was just…better. It was strange. I haven't seen anything quite like it. Smiles on his face, cheer in his voice, but that was before I told him I had scheduled him an appointment at the hospital."_

 _"_ _An appointment?"_

 _"_ _Yes, the day before I had to dismiss him from school because he had broken down during his lunch period, and then cried for the rest of the day. It was rather frightening."_

 _"_ _Oh dear…"_

 _"_ _So after I told him about the appointment, his whole attitude changed! He became cocky, confident, and sassy. There was this look of anger in his eyes; the atmosphere changed all together. He walked out on me while I was trying to be serious with him, not before insulting me in the process."_

 _"_ _I can't believe it! That sounds hardly like young Yugi."_

 _"_ _I know."_

 _"_ _What did you do?"_

 _"_ _I let it slide. He came home from school later that day and spoke to me as if nothing was wrong. I should have brought it up, but I was scared. He's been okay ever since, maybe it was just a one-time thing."_

 _"_ _You'd better hope. Wouldn't want any unaddressed issues building inside of him."_

 _"_ _You and me both."_

"You have to do something about that child."

"I don't know what. That wasn't my grandson. I could almost feel bad vibes in the air. And did you see his face the moment we caught him? It was as if he didn't know what he had done wrong!"

"Perhaps, but it needs to be addressed. Schedule an appointment with a psychiatrist. Trick him into going if you need to. No one should be scared of their Grandson."

"Yugi and I are very close. He's got to hear me out sooner or later."

"Maybe we can try and probe him to talk about it over dinner. Whether he knows what he did or not, it needs to be discussed. I'm here for you, Solomon."

"Thank you, my friend."

()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()

"So Yugi, find any challenging opponents lately?"

The tension was thick at the dinner table. The young blond cutie who was usually overly obnoxious and flirtatious was as still as a chair and quieter than snow hitting the ground. She barely touched her food and avoided eye contact with anyone at all costs.

Solomon and Arthur were rather quiet too, save for a few sighs, mutters and clearing of throats.

Yugi kept stuffing his face, leaving no room for conversation anyhow.

After some time, Arthur had finally asked Yugi a question to get some talking in.

"No," the boy answered honestly. "To be frank, I haven't really dueled anyone since Yami left. If I did, I don't remember it, and that says a lot about their skill level."

Arthur's eyes widened at the bluntness of his answer. Quickly he redirected his attention to Solomon, who shrugged to convey that he wasn't sure what to say.

"Oh." Hawkins slowly peered a gaze towards his granddaughter whom was absorbed in a melancholy cloud. "How's school? Anything new? Anything exciting?"

Yugi shrugged carelessly and stuffed a spoon of mashed potatoes in his mouth.

"Nothing to really look forward to anymore," he admitted.

Silence.

Arthur could feel the steam building in his system. Why was this child being so distant? So casually rude? No. Not acceptable.

"Is there anything you want to share with your Grandpa and me?" The professor groaned, losing patience.

"No."

Arthur dropped his utensils, aggressively backed his chair out and leaned over the table in fury.

"What's wrong with you?!" He cried out in anger, chest heaving all the while.

"Arthur?!" Solomon questioned in shock. Rebecca nervously stared down her grandpa. Yugi was yet to show any sign of emotion, in fact, he appeared even colder than before.

"We saw what you did to my granddaughter!" Arthur called out. "Your Grandpa might not have the guts to confront you, but I do. So speak up, boy! What has gotten into you?"

A slight smirk slid onto the teen's face as he bowed his head and closed his eyes cockily. He appeared un-phased by the sudden outburst by the professor. The boy remained quietly pleased.

"Well?!" Arthur huffed. "Are you going to answer?"

Everyone stared daggers at Yugi, whom refrained from looking up at any of them. A slight snicker arouse from the teen.

Rebecca was unsure of how to feel. She felt betrayed by someone who she cared deeply about. The amount of emotions that surged through her were too plentiful to sort, and now she was just heavily confused and disturbed by the current situation.

"Yugi?!" Arthur called out again.

This time, there was a response.

The boy slowly rose his head, and once he met everyone's gaze, there was an assurance that something was wrong.

Those same fiery eyes were peering back, with a grin all too sly to be genuine.

"That would be like you to want an answer, wouldn't it, Professor Hawkins?"

Arthur's head cocked over to see Solomon whom was quaking in his boots.

"Excuse me?"

"You've spent all your life searching for answers about the past. Even at your old age all you care for is to pry answers out of the dead."

Arthur wasn't catching on, but he was offended all the while.

"Live and let die," Yugi grumbled under his breath.

"What was that?"

"LIVE. AND. LET. DIE." He scooched his chair back in annoyance, the scraping causing everyone in the room to shiver.

Arthur was speechless by this motion, drearily sitting down as if he was put in his place. Yugi began to walk past them and towards the staircase to head to his room. An awkward silence filled the room.

But not for long.

Solomon was disgraced. He was embarrassed by his grandson, and even though he was frightened, he was not going to let him go. _He won't hurt me, I must try._

"YUGI!" He shot out the word as if it were a bullet. There was no movement involved with the delivery. Solomon remained very still, staring at the wall in front of him.

Yugi didn't answer, but he had stopped walking, allowing Solomon to continue to speak if he wished.

Solomon took in a deep breath before speaking.

"Someone or something has done you wrong," he spoke emotionlessly. "You were depressed when the Pharaoh left, I knew that damn well." Quietly, Solomon stood up from his chair and turned to face his grandson.

"And the day I tried to get you help was the day you had changed. If you don't tell me what caused this altered behavior, I will find out myself. Understood?"

That sadistic expression was still painted on the boy's face. He rose his eyebrows in disbelief. A few moments of silence were shared between the two.

"Good luck."

Solomon felt his heart drop as he watched the boy run up the stairs. He turned to face Arthur, whom was in complete shock.

"Ar-Arthur?" He choked up, a few tears spilling from his face. Arthur shook his head in denial. "What do I do?"

Hawkins slugged around the table, placing a hand on his friend's shoulder.

"We get you help. We get Yugi help, because I assure you that that boy who stood before us right then was not your grandson."

()()()()()()()()()()()()()()

"Ughh," Yugi moaned, opening his eyes and immediately rubbing the back of his head to soothe the pain. "Damn," he muttered while sitting up in bed.

Yami was sitting at the desk across the room, already staring intently at the boy with worried eyes. The moment Yugi woke up, Yami sat beside him.

"You're awake, I was worried about you."

The boy looked out the window and noticed the bitter darkness, which lead to him peering at his clock.

"One in the morning? When did I go to bed?" He asked in surprise.

"You were complaining of a headache after dinner, so I helped tuck you in to rest for a little bit," Atem explained. "I hadn't realized that you would sleep for so long, or else I would have tried to make you wait a little longer. I'm afraid you might not sleep through the night now."

Yugi smiled at his hospitability.

"Thank you."

Yami's lips perked up in satisfaction.

"Anything for you, Aibou." He leaned over and brushed one of the boy's golden bangs behind his ears. Yugi nuzzled a tad closer in pleasure, laying a hand over the Pharaoh's thigh, rubbing little circles to get a response.

"Mmm, Yugi," he groaned playfully at the touch. He bowed his head over to lay a soft kiss on the younger's cheek, hanging onto his flesh for a few seconds longer than expected.

A small gasp of excitement flew from the boy's mouth. He pulled back and smiled dearly at his Yami's large crimson eyes peering into his.

"I love you, Yami."

"I love you too, Aibou," he crinkled his nose and placed a light kiss on the boy's lips. "That's why I need you to go back to bed so you won't be so tired for school tomorrow."

"Yaammmmiiii," he whined. "But…don't you want to be with me?" He winked playfully.

"Don't tempt me, Aibou," Atem giggled. "There's a time and place for that. But for now, you need your beauty sleep." He rested Yugi down and tucked a couple of blankets over him. After a moment of appreciating his light, he bent down and kissed him once on the forehead, another on the nose, and lastly on his lips.

"Yami?"

"Yes, little one?"

"No more secrets between us, right?" He asked sleepily.

Yami cocked his head and rose his eyebrows in confusion.

"Correct, why do you ask?"

The younger yawned.

"I…I've been having lapses in my memory. I…I don't remember anything after first seeing Rebecca today."

Yami's eyes widened in terror.

"Oh no," he exhaled. "Was this the first time?"

"No, though this was the longest one. Do you remember? You were there with me, right?"

"I remember, Aibou. What worries me, however, is that you don't."

"Should I be scared? Am I sick?" Yugi feared while sitting up again.

Atem couldn't focus on the boy. His gaze was redirected to the window, worry smeared on his face.

"Something has disrupted the balance of good and evil. Something is wrong, but I am not sure how to go about it." He turned his focus back to Yugi. "You don't remember having dinner with your Grandpa and his guests? I left so you could have time together. After you ate you had come upstairs and complained of a throbbing headache. Do you not remember any of that?"

Yugi nodded his head in concern.

"Not a single bit of it," he stammered.

Yami reached out and grabbed his hand for comfort.

"I will protect you, Yugi. But you must trust me. I will do whatever I can to keep you from harm, but that means you _must_ let me do what I can. No matter what the outcome. Understood?"

Yugi nodded his head in approval.

"Yami, I trust you with my life."

"But do you _understand_ , Aibou?" Yami quivered anxiously.

"Yes…yes, I understand."

()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()

"Secret Asian man! SECRET ASIANNNN MAN!"

"I think you mean, _Agent_ man, Joey."

"But Asians are sooo cool! Those Japs have the best anime series!"

"We know, we know. Now knock it off and keep an eye out for Yugi!"

Tristan and Joey were leaning against the wall outside of the school early that morning waiting for Yugi to meet them by the front before heading into class.

"Damn it," the blond cursed at the sound of the bell hovering before them. "Guess we'll meet him in class, eh?"

"I suppose so."

Unfortunately for them, Yugi came to class later than normal. The teacher had already begun class by the time he sulked his way in.

"Yugi, I see you have finally decided to come to class," he sassed.

"Sorry for being late, Mr. Bostock," he apologized in embarrassment.

"Why don't you go take a seat before I take it for you and make you teach the class."

The students giggled slightly at their teacher's redundant sense of humor.

"Yes, Mr. Bostock." Quickly the teen slid into his desk and sighed in relief. The teacher continued on with his lesson.

"Pssst, Yug! You okay, buddy?"

"Not now, Joey," Yugi mumbled in exhaustion.

The blond sat back in confusion. Alright, not now, but very soon.

()()()()()()()()()()()()()

"Yug, why were you late this morning?" Joey pried in wonder in the cafeteria.

"Yeah, that's not like you," Tristan agreed.

Yugi shrugged carelessly.

"Just a long night. I had a bad headache before bed and couldn't sleep very well. I guess when I finally did I slept in a bit. Thank God it's Friday," he smiled softly.

"I'll drink to that!" Joey cheered.

"Yeah, nothing says a toast to Friday like chocolate milk," Tristan snickered. Joey shot him a glare but let it override.

"So, where's Tea? She didn't swing by again this morning and now she's not here at all. I wish I called her last night, but I wasn't feeling well myself."

Tristan and Joey exchanged glances in curiosity. What were they supposed to say? They promised to keep an eye out for weird behavior, but they weren't necessarily in the mood to shoot offending questions at him either.

"She's been sick, but not so much physically as she was mentally," Tristan finally revealed.

Joey cocked his head in confusion. Where was his pal going with this?

"What do you mean?" Yugi questioned with concern.

"Well," the brunette took a bite of his sandwich for dramatic effect. "She doesn't have a cold or anything. No stomach bug or anything like that. No, she's just mentally exhausted. Anxiety. Paranoia. Stress…"

"I-I didn't know she felt that way," the boy stuttered. "I haven't been there for her. If I didn't feel bad before I feel awful now. Do you know why she feels like that?"

Joey took one look into Yugi's eyes and was nearly convinced that this boy was innocent. Tea had to be seeing things. Maybe she was sicker than he initially thought.

"She told us that there's a possibility that something beyond her knowledge is messing with her," Joey came clean. He wasn't going to beat around the bush, but he wasn't going to throw his bud under the bus either.

"What do you mean?" Yugi asked.

"Joey?" Tristan nudged, as if to say that this wasn't what he had in mind.

Joey brushed off his shoulders.

"The past few times she's been in contact with you, she claims you've been going demonic on her," he stated dryly.

"Joey!" Tristan called out.

"That enough, Tristan. He deserves a right to know."

Yugi's apprehensive expression cooled into a stoic appearance.

"You don't believe her, do you?" His eyes widened. Damn those puppy dog eyes!

"Course not," he spat. "You? My little bud? Not a chance." He shrugged it off and took a long sip of his soda. Yugi relaxed his muscles at that.

"Joey, c'mon man." The brunette turned over to see Yugi face to face. "What Joey means is, we haven't seen you snap like that at anyone, but we don't necessarily think Tea is out of her mind, either."

"Not yet, at least," Joey snickered.

"Damn it, Wheeler! Come on now!"

"What are you saying, Tristan?" Yugi began to tense up once again. "Do you think I'm lying to you?"

Tristan raised an eyebrow at the challenge.

"Who do you believe?" The teen pried again.

"It's not a matter of who I believe, Yugi, it's a matter of—"

"No," Yugi interrupted. "You don't trust me. After all I've done for you, you don't trust me. That's it, isn't it?"

Tristan gaped at the sight of anger flushing through the boy, tinting his cheeks red and giving off a misty look in his eyes.

"It's not like that Yugi—"

"You think I'm sick! You think I'm messed up in the head!" Yugi jumped out of his seat in frustration. "Why don't you send me to a looney hospital? Or better yet, transport me back to the Salem Witch Trials! Perhaps that would suit me!"

"Yugi!" Tristan reached out to grab his arm, but Yugi just swung back in reflex.

"Damn it, Tristan!" Joey cried out.

Yugi shot Tristan one last glare before turning around.

"Tea is weak in the mind, not I. She can easily be controlled, but I am the King of Games. I once shared a body with the great Pharaoh of Egypt. There is _nothing_ weak about me."

With that, he stormed out of the cafeteria.

"Thanks a lot, Tristan," Joey spat before chasing after his pal.

Tristan sat there in absolute shock. If that wasn't a taste of the Yugi Tea was talking about, he didn't know what would be.

"There is something wrong with that one."

A familiar voice caused Tristan to cock his head back.

"Ryou…"

The slender, white haired boy slid into the seat beside him.

"I could see it in his eyes. I could hear it in his voice." Ryou took a deep breath, his eyes watching as Joey ran out. "I can feel it in my heart."

"Are you sure?"

Ryou nodded his head reluctantly.

"I once shared my body with the shadows, I think by now I can point them out when I see them inhabiting someone else."


	11. Together We Stand, Divided We Fall

**_A/N: Just wanted to mention that Yami and Atem are the same person, I'm just using their names interchangeably, just in case that brought forth any confusion. Thanks for reading and please comment :D_**

"Yug! Hey bud! Wait up a second!" Joey chased after his friend in attempt for consolation. Yugi was jolting down the halls in frustration, not even bothering to stop until he was able to find an empty room where no one else could bother him.

Joey took in a few deep breaths once he saw his friend turn into a class room, slowing down and following him in.

"Yug, what's going on pal?" He sighed, a sympathetic expression on his face. The King of Games cupped his head in his hands, a few sniffles breaking through. Joey pulled a chair out and sat beside him. "C'mon Yug, you can talk to me," he assured.

After a few moments of hesitation, the short teen raised his head to meet his friend's gaze. Yugi's eyes were swollen with tears and a terrified look on his face. Joey was taken back by his solemn expression, making him worry more than he already was.

"Yugi?" He gasped.

"I can't have people thinking I'm messed up, Joey," he pouted with fright. He wiped away a few stray tears with the back of his hand. "I've been having nightmares that my closest friends are going to turn against me," he wept unsteadily. "I'd be devastated if they came true."

Joey subconsciously nodded his head in denial at the very words.

"There is no way in hell I'm leavin' your side, Yug. I'm yer best bud! I would never turn on you."

"But Tea…and Tristan…and…I don't even know what I did wrong, Joey! I…I don't know. I can't remember things. I…"

"Yug," the blond extended his arm to his pal's shoulder for comfort, staring him deeply in the eyes. "You've been through a lot. It's been a tough few years if I do say so myself. You…you lost someone really close to you. I don't mean to rub it in yer face or anything of the sorts, but I'm saying it to remind you that you have it harder than the rest of us. Of course you're gunna struggle and have some nightmares along the way. I'm not leavin yer side because of that. No one should. Matter a fact, I'll be here even more than before, if that's what you want. You've done so much for me, I wanna start repayin da favors."

Yugi's eyes grew wide, tearing up more so at the words of his best friend. He jumped into his arm for a welcoming hug, holding him tighter to assure himself that people like Joey were real. They weren't going to disappear on him.

After a minute he pulled back and gazed into Joey's eyes.

"But what about Tea? What about the accusations she made about me? Do you believe them?"

A questioning look dove onto the teen's face, which caused Joey to raise his eyebrows in surprise.

Joey didn't really believe in what Tea told him. However, it was a story that was difficult to ignore. How could Yugi do such horrible things to her, and treat him like a true friend? Something about it wasn't right, but Tea had also mentioned that she was feeling strange herself.

"I believe in what you tell me. I have no reason to believe you were different unless I saw it with my own eyes."

Yugi grinned cheekily.

"Thank you, Joey."

()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()

"Tell me what you know, Ryou," Tristan ordered while closing the door of an empty room behind him.

Ryou forced a smile and cleared his throat, taking a seat at an empty desk and waiting until Tristan did so as well before speaking.

"I know a lot of things, it would be much more beneficial if you asked me what you want to know."

"Okay," Tristan hummed. "What the hell just happened with Yugi?"

"I highly doubt you saw Yugi back there. That wasn't your friend."

Tristan groaned in annoyance.

"Then who was it?"

Ryou shrugged dully.

"I'm not sure who, but I can tell you what."

"Humor me."

"There was a darkness hovering around his body. It wasn't in full control, but it can tamper with his actions here and there as it pleases. Yugi is unaware of it."

"How do you know that?"

"Simple. I was possessed by the spirit of the millennium ring for a long time. He was of the shadows…a darkness, if you will. Shadows tamper with your actions, your emotions…pretty much anything they can snack off of. When the moment is right, they can full on take over the host body. Once that happens, it becomes utterly obvious the host soul is locked away. What you saw back there was simply a tamper of emotion and action. It was enough for you to notice, but not enough for Joey to see."

Tristan narrowed his eyes in attempt to understand.

"So that's what Tea has been seeing?"

"That depends," Ryou perked his lips. "What has Tea been seeing?"

"She called Joey and me last night, saying that Yugi had cussed her out over the phone. Then the next day, she claimed she saw some sort of demonic Yugi threaten her in the hall when they were alone. Neither Joey or I saw him like that, but it scared Tea to death."

"Tea is an honest girl," Ryou nodded. "I wouldn't be surprised if that was the case."

"That's what I'm saying. I know she can be over the top at times, but she loves Yugi, she'd never accuse him of this unless it was the truth. I could hear the fear in her voice, I can't see how someone would lie about that."

"Well there you go, then."

"But…she also said that she was feeling weird herself. As if it was possible for her to be seeing things that no one else could."

Ryou cocked his head in confusion.

"That's a possibility as well. However, there is no reason for the shadows to have a deal to seal with Tea."

"Well, what could they possibly want with Yugi?"

"Yugi shared a body with a former Pharaoh…he is worth something to the darkness. His soul would be a treat for them to have. Not to be taken in the wrong sight, but what could Tea's soul be worth to them? She is not worth their time. If she was, they'd be after all of us."

"Well what about you?" Tristan accused. "You shared a body with the Thief King…what if they were coming back for _you?_ "

Ryou simply laughed at the idea.

"Who knows? They could already be inside me right now," he snickered. "They could be controlling me at this very moment and you would never know."

Tristan scooched back anxiously, not taking kindly to that soft warning. Ryou chuckled louder at the notion.

"No worries, Tristan. The darkness already consumed Bakura. The difference with Yugi is that Atem passed on into the light."

Tristan heavily sighed in relief.

"Don't scare me like that. I was having flashbacks to Illusion Island with you trying to steal Mokuba's body."

"That wasn't me! Bloody Hell!"

"I never said it was," Tristan defended. "So anyways, how do we stop it? This darkness surrounding Yugi? And how do we confront him about it?"

"I am unsure of how to stop the darkness hovering Yugi. Whoever is doing this to him is one that must have the ability to be near him all of the time. As you can see, it has the power to tamper and control him in the matter of seconds, and be able to flee just as quickly as it came."

"Hmm… so what do we do? We have to do _something_."

"I agree. Perhaps we should keep an eye on him after school. See how he acts alone. That could tell us a lot about him and his possible relationship with the darkness."

"A relationship?"

"Correct."

"What relationship?! Yugi wouldn't team up with darkness!"

"Not consciously, no. But the shadows are intelligent. They don't come to you in the form of evil. They come as a friend. They come with gifts and goodies and empty promises. That's when the body is most vulnerable. That's when the shit hits the fan, as one might say."

Tristan widened his eyes in discomfort.

"So you're telling me that Yugi, unknowingly, trusted evil as his friend, and therefore is unsure of when this evil takes over?"

"That's what Bakura did to me. He brought me comfort, made me believe his stories and assured me I would be safe if I hid in my soul room when he needed me to. Spying Yugi for abnormal behavior is the first step."

"Well then that's what we're going to do!"

()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()

"Joey…I'm…I'm scared," Yugi mumbled nervously, legs shaking as he attempted to focus his gaze on his friend.

"Scared of what, Yug? You know no one is gunna hurt yah with me by yer side."

"I know that. What I mean though is…those dreams…they're warnings."

Yugi's voice came out in stutters. He couldn't come out front and tell Joey about Yami. He trusted Joey with his life, but, he promised to Yami that he wouldn't out him to the public. That could be dangerous for them all. However, he had to start telling Joey something, or else he would turn on him too.

"Warnings of what, bud?" Joey inquired nervously.

"Well, you see, these dreams…they warn me that a second evil has draped itself in our lives once again. It's dangerous, and they come with a plan."

"What's the plan, Yug?"

The teen grimaced at the thought.

"They tamper with people's minds. They cause people to see other's differently. I think that's what they've been doing to Tea. My dream warned me to be wary of those who make accusations against me, for they have been tampered with evil."

Joey perked up in his seat like a bell ringing in his mind.

"Tea said something like she could be the one seeing things. Do yah think that makes sense?"

Yugi nodded his head in guilt.

"It does. I was also warned that the more the lies that the evil spreads, the stronger it gets, because it begins to feed off multiple people rather than just one."

"Oh damn! That's what's happening to Tea! And by her telling me and Tristan, she's spreading it around." Joey grabbed Yugi's hand. "Tristan might fall for it, but I won't. I'm here for you, pal."

"Thank you, Joey. It's just, I'm worried. How do we help Tea become free of this evil? How do we defeat it? I'm scared to be near her because I don't want her seeing an illusion of me."

"I'm not sure, bud. But we need to be careful. We need to keep an eye on them. It's the only way."

Yugi smiled sweetly.

"You have no idea how thankful I am to have you on my side. I don't have much to say to protect my name, but I do have a close connection with the afterlife because of Yami, and with that, they send me warnings in my dreams. That's all I have, Joey. That's all I have to know something is happening."

"I understand," Joey nodded in assent. "Don't worry. We're going rogue ASAP! Evil stands no chance against us!"

"It might," Yugi muttered under his breath. The bell rang, symbolizing the end of the lunch period. Joey darted out of the room with smiles and spewing trumpet noises as if he was a saving grace. Yugi sulked quietly behind him with a fake smile.

"If its plan is to split up my closest friends…it might."

()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()

"Thanks again for everything, Joey!"

"No problem Yug! Are you sure you don't wanna go to the arcade or grab a bite to eat? I'm starving!"

"Maybe I can meet you at Burger World for lunch tomorrow? Tonight I should probably help my Grandpa."

"Alright pal, see yah soon!"

"Bye Joey!"

Yugi smiled widely with a wave to his friend before walking in the opposite direction to head home. His heart was beating faster than normal due to all of the events that went on today. He was nervous about Tristan and Tea, but was damn glad to have Joey around.

The teen slid in between a back alley so Yami would feel comfortable reappearing. After a minute or two on his own, his beautiful lover showed up beside him.

Yami winked at the teen, running his eyes up and down his body real quick to claim his light.

"Looking good, Aibou," Yami flirted.

"Yammmmiiii," Yugi pouted sweetly. "You're such a player."

"I just like to compliment my Aibou, is there something wrong with that?"

"I suppose not."

The Pharaoh snickered at his other. He was always so impressed by how sweet he was. His large, amethyst eyes always gleamed, no matter his mood. The soft frame of his face had to be carved by an angel, for there was no other way to explain his perfected cherubic face…and that smile…it could light the largest of cities. He may be small, but he has a large heart. There is nothing he wouldn't do to help out a friend, and quite honestly, that alone says it all.

"Yugi….I…."

"Yes?" His eyes widened in curiosity, causing Yami to blush slightly at his expression. He eased his muscles and continued on.

"I just wanted to say that I'm really glad you have someone like Joey in your life."

Yugi cocked his head in confusion.

"So am I, but why do you mention?"

Yami shrugged, a lame attempt to pretend like he didn't care or that it wasn't a big deal.

"He's there for you when I can't be. I saw how he treated you during your lunch period. He's a true friend, hold on to him for as long as you can."

"I wouldn't dream of letting him go."

Yami sighed heavily. There was still one thing that was on his mind…

"You two seem close… _very_ close."

"We are!" Yugi beamed. "We are the best of friends. He means everything to me."

The Pharaoh bowed his head in near defeat, breathing in deeply before focusing his attention on something else altogether.

Suddenly he felt a hand reach out to grab him. He slowly raised his head to see Yugi gazing back at him with worried eyes.

"Is something wrong?"

Yami forced a smile.

"Are you _more_ than friends?"

Yugi was taken back by this notion. His other couldn't mean what he thought, did he? Though he did appear very solemn. _No, don't jump to conclusions_ , the teen supposed.

"What do you mean?"

Yami's crimson eyes grew narrower at the realization of what he had started. His muscles around his face tensed at the pressure of releasing this next statement.

"There was a time he held you in his arms," Yami exhaled. "He stroked your hair, rubbed your back and held your hand, rubbing circles on your skin with his fingers…"

"Yami?" Yugi stammered.

"He hummed to you until you stopped crying and wiped away every tear. He promised he would never leave you…"

Yami redirected his gaze to Yugi.

"Already he's done more for you than I ever had or ever can. So if I may ask again…are you _more_ than friends? Has he replaced me?"

Yugi viciously nodded his no in denial, running into his arms to comfort his darkness.

"No Yami!" He mumbled into his shoulder. "You can't ever be replaced. I love you more than anything and anyone. Joey is my best friend, but you…you are my soul mate…my darkness…my true love. No one can replace you."

Yami rubbed his light's back, feeling relaxation overwhelm him. It was a huge relief to hear that.

"How I wish I could be with you forever. Hold you in my arms forever…I will find a way, Yugi. I will."

Yugi looked up and smiled.

"I know you will."

 ** _*boom/crash*_**

 ****The two quickly looked up, Yami jumping in front of Yugi defensively,

"Who was that?" Yugi asked.

"I don't know, but do not worry, they will not bother us. I am here to protect you."

"Let's go, Yami. We can finish talking at home."

On guard, Yami hesitantly nodded in acceptance before grabbing Yugi's arm and dragging him out of the alley quickly and directing him home.

()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()

"Did you catch all of that on tape?"

"Oh my God…"

Tristan and Ryou had kept a steady eye on Yugi ever since the final school bell rang. Unsure of what would happen, they decided to follow the teen on his journey home, and were most shocked by what they discovered.

 _"_ _I'm not sure about this, Ryou. I know we basically agreed to stalk him, but I didn't think we were going to actually stalk him."_

 _"_ _Think before you speak next time," Ryou teased. "Besides, it's not a big deal. We're just going to follow him home…if he catches us we can just say we wanted to help him out in the shop or something. No worries."_

 _Tristan shrugged in acceptance._

 _"_ _I suppose."_

 _They lurked closely behind him, making sure to not be seen._

 _"_ _Where's he going?" Ryou asked._

 _"_ _I—I don't know. He's turning down a back alley for some reason. Usually he stays on the main streets."_

 _"_ _Well don't just stand there! Let's follow him!"_

 _The two quickly caught up to the entrance of the alley and peeked their heads around the corner._

 _"_ _What are we waiting for?" Tristan whispered._

 _"_ _Just listen!"_

 _And so they did, and after a few moments, they heard Yugi whine a certain word to himself that they never would have expected._

 _"_ _Did he just say 'Yami'?"_

 _"_ _My God! He did! Come, we must sneak behind those tin trash cans!"_

 _Carefully the two lulled over and snuck behind the cans, waiting for further action._

 _Yugi, was indeed, talking to someone that neither boy could see._

 _"_ _Tristan, record this!" Ryou insisted._

 _"_ _Why?"_

 _"_ _For proof."_

 _So Tristan pulled out his phone and began recording the conversation Yugi was having with…well, himself. He got a few minutes of it down, however, Yugi started hugging the air, which had put him off angle for Tristan's camera._

 _Naturally, Tristan leaned in closer trying to get a better shot, but he accidentally knocked over the lid of one of the cans._

 _"_ _Fuck," he cussed while quickly hiding back behind the can._

 _"_ _Who was that?" Yugi called out into the distance._

 _Afraid that they would be caught, Tristan was about to reveal himself to be on Yugi's good side, but Ryou held him down. A few moments later, they heard footsteps patter down the alley and eventually fade away._

 _Once they were sure the coast was clear, they perked up from behind the cans in relief._

 _"_ _Did you catch all that on tape?" Ryou shook Tristan's shoulder._

 _"_ _Oh my God…"_

"That…that was insane," the brunette continued with wide eyes and shock written all over his face. He quickly turned to Ryou. "He said Yami…he was talking to Yami."

"I believe so, that's how it appeared, anyways."

Tristan grabbed Ryou by the shoulders and straightened him to face him seriously.

"What the fuck is going on? Was that really the Pharaoh back there? Is that who he was talking to?"

Ryou was surprised by Tristan's forceful way of asking the question.

"Answer me!" He shook the white haired boy.

"Calm down, Tristan. I know this is abnormal, but we must remain calm."

Finally he took a deep breath, releasing his grasp on Ryou and pacing around nervously.

"Please don't tell me that the Pharaoh is the evil possessing Yugi. He would never forgive me," he mumbled under his breath.

"What do you mean?"

"Yugi would never forgive me if I was the one to tell him that who he trusts the most is the one hurting him. How is this all possible anyways? I thought he passed on, the Pharaoh I mean."

"I'm not sure. Too many questions and not enough answers. That's why we needed that recorded, we have proof now that Yugi is consulting with someone. Whether that's the Pharaoh or not is still up in the air."

"But you heard him confessing his undying love to Yami!" Tristan waved his arm around. "It doesn't get any clearer than that!"

"If you believe that was Yami back there, then you're just as gullible as Yugi," Ryou rolled his eyes. "Unless Yami came back to stop the evil from Yugi, then you just witnessed the darkness that's been possessing Yugi."

"Is that possible? Could it be that Yami has come back to help Yugi?"

"Tristan, at this point, anything is possible." Ryou sighed and cracked his knuckles. "We need to show Joey that tape. Anyone involved with this has to see it. Its proof that there's something lurking over him, whether it's evil or not. It may be our only chance at convincing Joey a greater force is involved."

The brunette nodded his head in confidence.

"Then what are we waiting for?"


	12. Nobody Home

****"What's this?"

"Is there something wrong, Yugi?"

The small teen scratched his head, confused on why the door to the shop would be locked.

"It's locked," Yugi muttered, trying his luck once more. "But it's a Friday afternoon, Grandpa would never lock up the shop on one of his busiest days!" The teen began fishing through his backpack for a spare key.

Yami narrowed his eyes in frustration.

"It appears today was an exception," he mumbled, trying to figure out why it would be locked.

"Do you think everything's okay?"

"I hope so."

The door flung open by the boy's force as he cautiously ventured inside. All of the lights were off, the valuables were locked away and everything was cleaned up to look presentable for the next opening.

"Well, one thing is for sure, he planned on closing it. This place looks spotless!" Yugi flicked on the lights, which illuminated the room and brought forth his attention on a loose piece of paper that lied on the counter.

Swiftly the boy walked over to read it.

 _Yugi,_

 _I've closed up the shop for the day, I am visiting Arthur Hawkins. There are left overs in the fridge. Don't wait up for me._

 _~Grandpa_

Yugi's eyes grew wide upon reading the note. He drew a blank expression and casually dropped it on the ground without a second thought. Yami noticed his pale face and lead him to sit down.

"Is everything alright, Yugi?"

The boy nodded with hesitation, still too zoned out to come up with a suitable answer. Atem cleared his throat in attempt to gather his attention, but it failed.

"Aibou, what did the note say?" Seeing as that he got no results, he began waving his hand in Yugi's face. "Aibou?"

"Hm?" Yugi replied.

"What did the note say?"

He shrugged carelessly.

"He didn't even say "Dear Yugi"…nor did he say "Love Grandpa". He always does that!" The kid finally looked up to match Atem's gaze. "It sounds like he didn't care about me."

Yami leaned down to grab the note and read it for himself.

"I didn't know you could interact with objects," Yugi mumbled.

"There's a lot you don't know about me, Aibou," Yami muttered regretfully. He shook his head in frustration at the message of the note.

"Why would your Grandpa do this?" He clenched his fists a little tighter than planned. Swiftly he coursed his way to look out the windows as if to check if anyone was watching them. He groaned in annoyance for no apparent reason before closing the blinds and motioning to the stairs with his hand.

"Yami, is everything alright?"

"No, Aibou. Everything is not alright. Please, accompany me upstairs so we can talk privately."

"But there's no one down here besides you and me."

"That's what I'm not sure of."

The two raced up the stairs and further more into Yugi's bedroom. Yami locked the door behind them and closed the curtains to assure upmost privacy.

"Yami?! You're scaring me…" Yugi whined at the realization of his lover's actions.

The Pharaoh had no worthwhile replies as he continued to secure the room. Aggressively he ran his fingers through his tri colored hair, twirling one of his golden bangs and tapping his foot in anxiety. After a few more moments of silence, Yami straightened up, and allowed his crimson eyes to burn into Yugi's.

"I haven't been very honest with you, Yugi. And I wish I had," he revealed with a clear cut, deepened voice.

It was rather funny that one sentence could make a heavy impact on Yugi. As if he wasn't uncomfortable before, he was definitely twitching on his bed now. Yami pouted at the sight of a saddened Yugi, but he had to continue his message.

"Everything I'm about to tell you…I've only hid it from you because I cherish you. Please understand." Atem reached out to grab Yugi's hands, but in the midst of terror he pulled away and glared back.

"You've been keeping secrets from me?" Yugi quivered. How tragic it was to see the tiny droplets of water glimmer on his cheeks. It was extremely difficult for Yami to hold his gaze.

"Yes," he managed to reveal.

"Like…like what?"

Yugi hated moments like these. All he ever wanted from Yami was to be happy with him. Why was there always something that had to happen or be said that would tear that chance a part? Yugi cherished everything about his soul mate…from his qualities of confidence, leadership, protectiveness, loyalty and charisma…all the way to his sharp physical features that caused him to grow a little hard whenever they were too close. It was the way his lover could tower over him, have the ability to nourish him in his arms and caress him with his silky baritone voice. His defined muscles and mature face was something Yugi always looked up to, considering he was never able to perfect them himself. It was everything about Yami that he was invested in, everything about him he loved…which is why he despised moments like this.

Yami jumped out of his seat from the inability to sit still, pacing around the room and sneaking a peak through the curtains when he got the chance.

"I am _very_ disappointed with your Grandpa."

Yugi furrowed his eyebrows.

"What does that have to do with anything?"

Yami sighed at his Aibou's ignorance.

"I know why he closed the shop early, Yugi. I know why he went to go visit that Professor that he is friends with."

Yugi's eyes followed Atem as he paced himself around the room.

"I also know why he wasn't here this morning when you woke up."

"Grocery shopping. He always does the groceries on Friday's before he opens the shop," the teen suggested with a shrug.

"Doesn't he usually wait for you to rise before he leaves?"

"…Sometimes," he answered unassured.

Yami slipped beside Yugi to grab his shoulder.

"All of the time," he corrected resentfully.

"What are you trying to say?"

One deep look into those amethyst gems and Yami just had to look away with a deepened heart. Every sigh he released grew louder and alarming. Yugi fixated on his lover's distress and tried to massage his back softly to relax him, but Yami only pulled away.

"I am undeserving," was his explanation.

"Of what?"

"Of you!...Yugi…I…you're not going to be fond of me in a minute or two."

"Tell me, Yami! I need you to be honest with me, now!"

The tension in the silence that Atem allowed was more obnoxious than anything Yugi had experienced for a long time. He began shaking the Pharaoh to break his zone out.

"I just wanted to protect you…"

"Come on Yami!"

"I haven't been doing very well at the matter…"

"YAMI!"

"You've been possessed!" He finally spills in a harsh, unpleasing manner. The words came out too sharp, a tad too disgruntled. At the realization of his force, Yami shook his head in guilt. "I've seen it. Multiple times. Your memory lapses…"

Yugi couldn't believe what he was hearing.

"Are because this evil is near, and they are after you."

The boy turned away slowly, trying to buy himself time to really just marinate what was fed to him. Quietly he rose from the bed and sulked his way to unlock the door.

Yami jumped up at the notion that his Aibou had given off and ran after him to stop him from leaving. He slid in front of the door.

"You cannot remember some things because you have been under another's control. I'm sorry, Yugi, but there's not much I could do. I didn't want to tell you in attempt to keep you from worrying, however, last night, some things went wrong….and now your Grandpa has left to figure them out, per say."

Atem shivered with each word he released from his mouth, and was even more concerned with the broken look on Yugi's face. If it wasn't difficult already, it seemed impossible to continue now. The teen simply avoided eye contact, it was the only way he could deal with what he was hearing.

"And you and I know that when one tries to involve others in tale of this evil, it only becomes stronger. I am disappointed that your Grandpa is gone because what it really means is that the shadows are spreading at this very moment."

Mechanically, the boy slowly looked up to glare daggers into Atem's crimson eyes.

"Correct."

Atem raised an eyebrow in confusion.

"Pardon?"

The boy swiveled around to face the windows.

"That was the answer you gave me when I asked if there was no more secrets between us," he told the window. "How come you didn't tell me the truth then?"

Atem slowly made his way over.

"Yugi—"

"No!" Yugi shot while jolting around. "This is important and I need to know right _now_!"

Yami's face went blank at the sight of his Aibou's frightened face.

"I didn't want to frighten you…"

"But this involves me! I have a right to know! What happened to me last night? What did I do? Has Tea really been blind sighted by this 'evil' you speak of, or is it me? Am I the one worth cowering over?" Tears swelled up in his eyes, pouring out like a broken faucet. "I need to know!" He sobbed.

Realizing that Yugi was too hurt to be vicious, Yami swept him off his feet and placed him softly on his bed, hovering over his shoulder and holding him close for consolation.

"Both," he hummed. "It's not just you, Aibou. It's attacking everyone. I wish there was a way I could help, but I just haven't figured one out yet."

"I'm scared," Yugi coughed out amongst his weeps.

"Sshh, I'm here for you. I will do anything for you. I need you to trust me," he sang softly into the younger's ears.

Minutes dragged out, allowing some time for the two to mellow out and gather their ability to remain calm.

"I don't want to hurt the ones I love," the boy sniffled weakly.

Atem nodded in understanding, rubbing circles on his cheek with his thumb.

"No one does, Aibou." Slowly he raised Yugi's cheek up so he could look him in the eye. "You must promise me something, my light."

Yugi cocked his head in wonder, allowing Yami to continue speaking.

"You must not tell anyone that you have occasionally been under the shadow's control."

"What? Why?" He spat.

"Listen, Aibou. I am working on a way at defeating the shadows that are trying to hurt you. Spreading the news that the evil can inhabit you will only make matters worse. Allow me to mend this problem without scaring everyone along the way."

How could Yugi say no? Yami had always known what's best for him, and even now, he had only hesitated to tell him the truth because he was trying to protect him. The expression on his face was so innocent, so sweet…how could he not agree?

"Okay Yami." Unintentionally, Yugi's focus had drifted from Yami to the window. The Pharaoh took notice of this immediately, and redirected his face with his hand to reconnect their gaze.

"Not so fast," he smiled softly. "Okay doesn't qualify. _Promise_ me, Aibou."

 _Curse that incredibly seductive smile and that ultra-sexy smooth voice and his delectable face oh Ra curse it all!_

"I promise."

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"Yeah, I'll have the double patty nacho cheeseburger with everything on it."

"Lettuce, tomatoes, onions, pickles, -"

"I did say everything, didn't I?"

"Yes, would you like the—"

"I'll have an extra-large side of loaded fries too, and a super-sized coke please."

"Uh, yes, okay."

"And throw in a couple of large chocolate chip cookies, would yah? Oooh! And a vanilla milk shake!"

"I'll have that prepared for you right away."

"Thanks!"

Joey leaned back in the booth with satisfaction. The waitress, though intimidated, then turned to Yugi to inquire about his order.

"Just a small cheeseburger combo please, with fries and a coke."

"Perfect! I'll put that in for you two."

It didn't take long for the young lady to run off to the kitchen, leaving the two guys alone to catch up.

"I shouldn't be surprised, but boy Joey, can you eat or what!" Yugi chuckled.

Joey snorted sarcastically, crossing his arms behind his head as a cushion and closing his eyes cockily.

"I had a light breakfast."

"Uh huh, sure," Yugi winked.

"Pancakes, eggs, and bacon…nothing too big. I didn't even have any toast!"

The younger teen shrugged playfully.

"Whatever you say."

"So uhh, Yug," Joey began after taking a quick look at his phone. The waitress returned with their drinks, encouraging the blond to take a large sip of his cola before continuing. "Did you have any more of dem dreams last night? Yah know, like dem warnings?"

Yugi coughed nervously at that. Flashbacks of the promise he had made to Yami swirled in his head, prying at him to tell his best friend the truth, but it just wasn't plausible. What could he say? What if Joey found out? Would he blame him for lying? Maybe he should just tell Joey the truth…besides, if he were to have been possessed in the presence of Joey, that would make him look really bad.

But Yami…he always seems to know what's best. He shouldn't break his promise. However, it's not like Yami was very good at keeping them himself. He kept a huge secret from him for quite some time. What should he do?

"Yug? You alright, Pal? You seem to be dazing off."

The kid shook his head to help break his daydream. To gain a few more seconds of time, he dragged a sip of his coke.

"Nothing vivid," he fibbed. "I…I just get these bad vibes. Nothing that I can remember in the morning."

Joey shrugged carelessly.

"If you say so."

Yugi remained very focused on the actions of his friend, who seemed easily swayed at the moment. Perhaps he should say something. Even if it's not the truth, whatever information Joey could gather about the matter was another security in their relationship.

"Have you heard from Tea or Tristan?" Yugi followed up.

A huge grin peeled onto the blonds face at the sight of his vanilla shake being lowered in front of him.

"Nah, not from them."

"From someone else?" He presumed.

"I heard from Kaiba last night."

"You heard from Kaiba?!"

"Yeah, against my will of course. Anyone who has to hear from that jag off probably has no choice, yah know?"

A smirk danced across Yugi's face at the notion.

"What did he say?"

"I was walkin' home and his limo pulled up beside me. He asked about you."

"He asked about _me_?"

"Yeah. Given he insulted me a few times first, but no worries, I got him back."

"You two are like an old married couple," the teen chuckled.

A quick fit of rage rose in Joey as he leaned over the table furiously.

"We're a what, Yugi?!" He shrieked.

"Haha, settle down! Geez I'm just joking!"

Joey leaned back, taking a few deep breaths and smiling softly at the matter.

"Anyways, once I put him in his place, he asked me about yah. Sounded a little tense. He mentioned that little fit you broke into last time we were on da streets."

Yugi raised an eyebrow.

"What fit?"

A confused expression found its way onto Joey's face.

"Yah know, the one where you randomly told him off?"

The awkwardness between the two friends grew, but only to be cut off by the arrival of their meals. Joey cheered as he dove in his burger like a savage, but Yugi remained uncertain of what his friend talked about.

 _Maybe I was possessed? I certainly don't recall being in a fit with Kaiba. Heck, I don't even remember seeing Kaiba recently. We've kept our distance since the Ceremonial Duel. But I can't let Joey know that. If he knows that I don't remember, he's going to believe in the others accusations of me. I can't have that. No._

"Ohhhh! Yeah, I remember," Yugi smiled softly, taking a quick bite of his burger to follow up.

"Yeah, he asked what was wrong with you. He said it didn't seem like something you would do. Quote on quote "Yugi is a respectful young man, I was in shock by his behavior. Is he alright? Can he still duel without being an ass?" Can you believe that? If I hadn't known any better, I woulda assumed he was concerned about you, Yug."

"Nice impression of Kaiba, Joey," Yugi giggled. "And that was a good one, a concerned Kaiba. Hah!"

Joey began laughing in uproar.

"Tell me about it! Damn, and then him askin' if you were gunna be an ass, priceless! As if he wasn't ass every second of the fucking day!"

The two friends bellowed in laughter. Gracefully they both continued to eat their meals and catch up on the small things in life. Joey was ecstatic at how Yugi was coming along. He hadn't seen his friend so happy for quite a long time, and it really brought him relief to catch him smile so frequently. It was a fair time to just gossip about life, rather than worry about the worst.

After a while, Joey's phone began ringing. He pulled it out and narrowed his eyes at the sight of the name on the screen.

"Who is it?" Yugi questioned.

"Tristan." He hesitantly swiped to answer. "What's up?" He greeted.

"Joey! How are yah, man?"

"I'm fine. What are you up to?"

"Just hanging around, how bout you?"

"Just grabbing a bite with Yugi."

Tristan and Ryou were gathered outside of the arcade, hoping to get Joey alone to show him the video that they got off Yugi the day before. Tristan covered the speaker and turned to Ryou and whispered "he's with Yugi! Should we invite him too?"

"We have too, we can't be tarts," Ryou answered.

Tristan nodded seriously and continued to speak to Joey.

"I'm at the arcade with Ryou! Why don't you two join us?"

Joey scratched his head as he debated the invite, stuffing a fry in his mouth all the while.

"I'll let him know and shoot yah a text if we decide to come."

"Sounds good, brotha! See yah!"

"Later," Joey ended the call and shoved his phone back in his pocket. He caught Yugi staring at him with wide eyes.

"What did he want?" He asked innocently.

"Him and Ryou are at the arcade, they invited us to join," the blonde smirked.

"Ryou?" Yugi didn't mind Ryou. He actually really appreciated the information he dished out about Bakura and the shadows. Maybe he would know more now! However, he wasn't too sold on the idea of Tristan being there. And if the whole gang was together, Lord knows someone would soon invite Tea.

"We don't have to go, Yug," Joey assured, noticing the nervous gleam on Yugi's face. The boy peered up.

Yugi pouted as he bowed his head to stare at his drink, almost wishing the answer would swirl on the top of his soda. He loved games, and it had been a while since he visited the arcade, but maybe it wasn't safe for him to be out in public with large groups. Besides, that's when the spirits attacked him the most, it seemed.

"That's alright. Why don't you go, Joey? I know you love the arcade. I'm feeling kind of full and would prefer to just watch a movie at home."

"I'll join yah!" Joey beamed. "Just like old times!"

"Joey," Yugi whined. "Don't worry about me, okay? I want you to go. We had our fun, go ahead and have some with the guys! I'll invite you for a movie night soon, okay?"

"Are you sure, Yugi?"

"Positive," he forced a smile.

"Okay… do you want me to walk you home?"

"Don't be silly!" Yugi stood up from the booth. "My house and the arcade are in the opposite direction from here. Just…can you do something for me?"

"Anything for you, Yug."

"Please be wary of anything they say about me…I just don't want them plotting against me behind my back. Hopefully they truly just want to play games, but something keeps telling me they only invited me because you told them I'm with you."

Joey's jaw dropped at the sound of that. He would be lying if he said he didn't think that himself.

"I'll keep an eye out for it," he promised.

"Thank you."

They sealed the deal with a quick bro hug before splitting directions. Joey had quietly watched as his best friend disappeared behind a corner.

It was difficult to think about all of the hardships that boy had gone through. The worst part was, they still weren't over. No, nothing topped off the unsettling fact that whatever was happening, it was tearing their friends a part. Who could be trusted? What happened after Joey had chased after Yugi yesterday during lunch? And why were Tristan and Ryou hanging out? That never happens. Ryou was sort of a loner. Of course the kid was always welcome if the gang was going to hang out, but most times he declined. Since when had he been tight with Tristan?

Too many unanswered questions. It was at that moment Joey realized that this wasn't going to be a friendly day for games, but rather a mysterious day with accusations. He thought about ditching all together, but realized that this might be his time to stand up for Yugi.

Besides, how could such an angelic, sweet friend be anything but wonderful? What kind of drugs were they tripping on? Yugi had done so much for all of them. They owed him everything. Anger began to boil inside of him at the thought of their mistrust for Yugi.

 _You can do anything for people. You can save their ass countless amount of times. You can fight for them and give them a reason to live in complete harmony. You can trust them with your life and give them everything in return. But the moment the going gets tough, they can leave as easily as they came. But not me, not me. I will be there for you, Yugi. Every step of the fucking way. I will be there for you._


	13. To Sing for You

"Joey my brother! How's it going man?" Tristan leaned in to embrace his friend into a bro hug. The blonde smirked at his greeting.

"Yeah, it's alright!" He turned to Ryou and gave him a casual fist pump.

"Hello Joey," the white haired boy smiled sweetly.

"Pleasure, Ryou."

"Dude, where's Yugi? I thought the two of you were together?"

"Yeah, he had to go home. Apparently he had a lotta stuff to do, yah know?"

Joey instantly felt tense at the sight of relief that poured over Tristan's face. He didn't want to start anything, but he was on guard and waiting for the moment to jump.

"Well, what do you say we get inside? I promise to kick your ass in every game we come across."

A genuine grin washed over Joey, wrapping his arm around the two guys' shoulders and leading them inside.

"We'll see about that, won't we?"

After 45 minutes of competition and fooling around, the three teens wandered over to the food court area and ordered a large pizza to split between them.

"Yah know, I had fun today," Joey slipped before stuffing a slice in his mouth.

Tristan cocked an eyebrow. "Well, we would have hoped so."

Ryou took his response a bit further, hoping that the statement would dig a deeper explanation from Joey. "Why wouldn't you?" He inquired innocently.

Joey snickered at the question. "I honestly thought you guys were gunna rat on about Yug." He shrugged carelessly and took a swig of his soda. "I'm glad dat wasn't da case."

Tristan and Ryou exchanged glances with a hint of nerves. Neither were really in the mood to drop the bomb, but if they didn't, today would have been a waste.

"Rat on Yugi? You say that as if we don't care about him," Tristan chose his words wisely, anxiously sipping on his drink.

"Well, I saw the way Yug talked to you yesterday and I assumed you'd be butt hurt. Eh, but I'm glad you're not."

Ryou cleared his throat to make his presence known. "Well, Joey. I was sitting behind your table when I heard Yugi go off yesterday…unfortunately, I was rather suspicious about his behavior."

"He's under a lotta stress right now," Joey glared at the British boy. "He lost Yami and was depressed for a few weeks. He's trying to get over it, yah know? But it's not perfect. He still gets overwhelmed and it can be at random times. He just needs support."

The tension began to grow thick. There was no outright arguments yet, but things were casually building up to one. Tristan subconsciously pattered his fingers against the table, Joey took aggressive bites out of his pizza and Ryou sat up perfectly straight and attempted to keep a serious face. It would be any moment before someone would flip out.

"I understand Yugi's situation," Ryou hummed.

"Do yah?" Joey shot back harshly. "Do yah really?"

"Cool it, Joey," Tristan warned.

"No, I want to know!"

Ryou cocked his neck sideways to crack before setting it straight. "Of course I do. I was inhabited by the spirit of the millennium ring."

"Oh bullshit!" Joey hissed. "Bakura was an asshole, we know you're glad that motherfucker is gone!"

The Brit rolled his shoulders in frustration, trying his hardest to keep cool.

"You don't know Bakura like I do, Joey. In fact, you'll never understand what I went through. I suggest you keep your mouth shut about what isn't your business."

"I don't care about yer business! I'm here for my pal! That's who I care about!"

"Joey! You're blowing this out of proportion!"

"Why did you really invite me today? You two aren't buddies like that, so what have you been planning?"

Tristan rolled his eyes in aggravation. "I need you to listen without interrupting. If you can do that, I'll tell you everything."

Joey subconsciously tightened his fists, his temperature shooting up a few degrees as the heat of anger flamed through him. He tried to cool down after Tristan's offer, but he knew he couldn't make any promises.

"Have at it."

The brunette cracked his knuckles in preparation, taking one last sip of soda before continuing on. "Ryou saw what happened yesterday; he told me that he could feel the presence of another shadow tampering with Yugi's actions. It doesn't always completely take over, but it can easily sway his words or movements."

An insulting chuckle erupted from Joey as a notion of denial.

"Anyways, Ryou suggested we follow Yugi home to see how he is like on his own."

"YAH STALKED HIM?"

"Relax," Ryou muttered.

"WHAT DA FUCK, TRISTAN?!"

Tristan blushed at the realization of so many people staring at him, Ryou and Joey. He cuffed the collar of his shirt to give him a little more room to breathe.

"Let's take this outside," he offered quietly.

It was good timing, because Joey in the midst of his anger, jumped out of his seat and jolted through the back door. Of course, Tristan and Ryou chased after him and met him back in an alley.

"Forget that, Joey! You would never believe what happened!"

"Quite frankly, whatever happened was none of yer business! Yah should have never followed him home, Tristan. What kind of a friend are you?"

"One that cares!" He retorted sharply. "Yugi is one of my best friends, I care about him, okay? You know me…I don't have to prove my friendship to him for you!"

Ryou groaned in annoyance before stepping in between the two friends. "We have a video you need to see."

"Excuse me?!"

"It's important, Joey. Please give it a watch."

Tristan rapidly grabbed his phone from his pocket and loaded the video for Joey to watch, and then offered it to his friend.

Joey sucked his teeth in frustration, slapping the phone from Tristan's hand.

"Whatever that is, I don't need to see it!"

"Joey!"

"I'm getting out of here," he spat as brushing by the two teens, leaving them behind.

Ryou and Tristan took in a few deep breaths as they watched the blonde walk away in anger.

"Well, that could have went better," the brunette cooed.

"Agreed, however, I do have one last idea up my sleeve."

"What's that?"

Ryou grinned slyly while retrieving Tristan's phone from the ground. He made Tristan unlock it and scrolled through the contacts list. "You'll see."

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"Come on Yami!"

"Yugi—I can't…"

"Pretty pretty please? With a cherry on top?"

"Yugi—I said that I…"

Yami inwardly cursed at himself for succumbing so easily to Yugi's wide, sparkling, doe eyes. He was just too precious with his hands clamped together wishfully and a soft pout to match. The elder sighed as he realized that it wouldn't be long before he caved in.

"Don't make me get down on my knees…" the boy's angelic voice chimed.

The Pharaoh's face flushed at the sound of that. How he would love to see his Aibou on his knees! For no one but him…helplessly begging under him…squirming beneath his master…the thought only became more appealing by the second.

Unfortunately, he knew he couldn't allow it. Allowing Yugi in that position would cause the Pharaoh to lose his control…and that was the last thing he should do. He was on a mission. He wasn't allowed to grow too attached, for it would only cause greater problems in the end.

"Fine Yugi. You win," he murmured resentfully.

"YAAAY!" the teen cheered joyfully. Oh, this was going to be great! Yugi had one on Yami. The two were walking home together, chatting as usual, when Yami decided it would be funny to impersonate a friend of theirs…

 _"_ _I wouldn't worry about Tristan, little one. He's a strong young man, but he isn't much of a leader," Yami admitted honestly as the two stretched down another alley._

 _"_ _You're right," Yugi mumbled to himself. "All he ever does is agree with whoever spoke first. Love him to death, but he can be a real square."_

 _"_ _There you have it. And his annoying idiosyncrasies… Oh Ra, like when he tries to sing that one song! It rather makes me want to purchase ear plugs!"_

 _Yugi bellowed in laughter at Yami's innocent tease. It brought him great relief to see the humorous side of the Pharaoh._

 _"_ _How does it go again?" Atem cleared his throat viciously in preparation to sing. "Lean on me! When you're not strong, I'll be your friend. I'll help you carry on…"_

 _It was a close call, but Yugi's jaw almost dropped straight to the ground. His obvious laughter turned rather into an awe inspired expression. Quickly he grabbed onto the Pharaoh's arm and began shaking him with excitement._

 _"_ _I didn't know you could sing!" Yugi cooed._

 _Yami's eyes widened in horror as he realized the endless consequences of his Aibou knowing that he had a talent. He began coughing anxiously._

 _"_ _I can't," Atem refuted. "I was simply impersonating your friend."_

 _The sly grin didn't slide off of the teen's face that quickly. No, rather it grew larger._

 _"_ _I don't buy that for a second!" Yugi winked playfully. "This is wonderful! You can sing me a song!"_

 _"_ _No."_

 _"_ _Please Yami! Can you serenade me when we get back to the shop?"_

 _"_ _No Aibou, I can't…"_

 _"_ _Oh, you Will!"_

Atem sucked his teeth impatiently as Yugi ravished the internet for which song he wanted his darkness to sing.

"Please, my light. It would be more efficient for me if we could get this over with quickly."

"Ah ah, Yami. You will wait until I come across the perfect song!"

"It's not polite to keep the Pharaoh waiting, little one." A sense of seduction dripping off his voice.

Yugi turned to catch a quick peek at his love, smiling all the while. "Oh, is that right? Pharaoh _Atemu._ "

"Why must you say my name like that?"

"It's got a nice ring to it, I'd say."

Atem rolled his eyes in amusement, shivering at the sudden realization of his upcoming performance.

"Oh my! This is it! Perfect!"

"Oh Ra…" a nervous mutter slipped from Atem.

"Okay Yami. Let me get you some headphones, listen to this song a couple of times so you know how it's supposed to sound. I'll print the lyrics for you, and then I'll find the karaoke version for you. This is going to be amazing!"

Yami giggled at his light's pure happiness. If singing would bring him so much joy, then he had to comply…it was the least he could do.

After hearing the song and reading the lyrics one time through, the Pharaoh ripped out his headphones and swung over to glare at Yugi.

"You failed to inform me that this is a love song."

"I know," the boy winked. "Come on, it's a perfect match for your vocal range! Besides, you know you love me."

Yami sighed in loss. "That you are correct." He turned to read the lyrics once more, humming a bit to grasp the mood for the song. "I believe I am ready, Aibou."

"YAY! Let me turn on the speakers and turn the spotlight on to you."

Atem cleared his throat once more in preparation. Thoughts endlessly ran through his mind which caused him to get a bit of stage fright. He had never been requested to sing for anyone before, so this was going to be quite the trip. It was the least he could do, for he knew that on his mission he was brining Yugi a lot of unintentional pain. It wasn't as he desired, but it had to happen.

Yugi playfully jumped on to the couch with his puppy eyes gleaming right at Yami.

"Whenever you're ready," the teen encouraged.

Yami nodded in understanding, pressing the play button as the music began to embrace the room.

 _I could have a little fun with this,_ Yami grinned to himself. The song was simple enough, as long he kept the lyric sheet near him, he could seduce the shadow realm out of that desirable young man.

Yugi was ecstatic. The moment the music began to play was the second he realized how wonderful this would be. _I've got the Pharaoh whipped,_ he giggled inwardly.

Slowly the Pharaoh strutted over in front of Yugi, reaching out to grab the teen's hand lustfully, rising it to his lips to place a fruitful kiss. His powerful crimson eyes gazed up to meet Yugi's as he began to serenade.

" ** _I could stay awake, just to hear you breathing."_**

 ****A shy smirk washed over Yugi's flushed face at the sound of such a seductive, deep voice.

" ** _Watch you smile while you are sleeping, while you're far away and dreaming."_** Atem worked his luck as he scooched beside Yugi.

" ** _I could spend my life, in this sweet surrender."_** The teen boastfully attempted to nuzzle his head into the elder's chest, however, Yami couldn't allow that. It was vital that he kept the eye contact between the two of them.

" ** _I could stay lost in this moment, forever."_** He grabbed his light by the waist and placed him in between his legs so that they faced each other in perfect alignment.

 ** _"_** ** _Every moment spent with you is a moment I treasure."_** A smirk danced onto Yami's face at the sight of a blushing Yugi. He had him right where he wanted him.

Yugi melted in place. How could someone be so wonderful? So desirable? His sexual frustration was gaining on him. A quick chuckle emerged from him as he noticed Yami quickly glancing at the lyric sheet.

" ** _I don't wanna close my eyes, I don't wanna fall asleep, cause I'd miss yah babe, and I don't wanna miss a thing. 'Cause even when I dream of you, the sweetest dream would never do—I'd still miss yah, babe, and I don't wanna miss a thing_**."

Quick, tiny tears trickled down Yugi's cheek. It was unexpected when Yami had grabbed him and pulled him on top of his chest as he lied down.

 ** _"_** ** _Lying close to you, feeling your heart beating."_** His words dripped from his voice like honey from a bee's nest. It was most enticing.

" ** _And I wonder what you're dreaming. Wondering if it's me you're seeing_**." Yami knew how to work Yugi to his tip, as a sort of lustful payback for being begged into singing to begin with.

 ** _"_** ** _Then I kiss your eyes and thank God we're together."_** Lovingly, he worked his rough hands into the younger's tri-colored hair, moaning in pleasure at the smell of his sweet shampoo.

" ** _I just wanna stay with you, in this moment forever…"_** he slid his other hand under Yugi's shirt, smiling at the quick shudder that his warm hand had on his light's cool skin.

Yugi nuzzled his head into Yami's chest as his darkness continued to fondle him in the sweetest of ways. His heart fluttered faster at the touch between them. Clinging on a little tighter, Yugi allowed himself to close his eyes and daze off into the arms of his love.

A quiet chuckle emerged from the Pharaoh as he continued to stroke Yugi sweetly. He hummed through the chorus one more time as a lullaby to aid his light in his rest.

" ** _I don't wanna miss one smile, I don't wanna miss one kiss_**." He placed a chaste kiss on top of Yugi's forhead. " ** _I just be with you, right here with you, just like this_**."

Atem allowed his eyes to close too, by the comfort of his love in his arms. Every word he sang was from the bottom of his heart. There was no other place he would rather be.

" ** _I just wanna hold you close…feel you heart so close to mine_** ," he sang sweetly as he gripped him tighter than before. " ** _And just stay here in this moment for the rest of time…"_**

But he couldn't. In that very moment, a deep pain nagged at Yami's heart, pulling him into such a sorrowful trance. He wouldn't dare to let Yugi go…not at the moment. However, that wasn't up to him. He had one mission and one mission alone with his time here back on earth as a shadow…

Knowing well alone that if Yugi could not succeed the test, he would fall into death.

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"How do you like them apples?" Tristan inquired stoically before pulling his phone away.

Ryou had a wonderful plan indeed. It was rather unlike the boy to be so sneaky and genius like, but it was probably because he had spent so much time with Bakura.

The English man had suggested that they should phone up Tea to show her the video. Another ally is never a bad thing, or so he explained. From there, they would get Tea to make a phone call herself.

"That was…frightening, to say the least," Tea mumbled wearily. "I…I can't imagine that the Pharaoh is the one who is hurting Yugi. Do you think it's an imposter?"

"We don't know…and as of now, we won't be able to tell if Yugi continued to ignore us. We need to get Joey in on this. He's the only one that he trusts."

"But how?" Tea cooed.

"Simple. Tea, you must invite Joey over tonight for a movie," Ryou ordered.

"You want me to host a movie night?"

"Precisely. Joey will not watch this video willingly, we must set it up to an HDMI chord and trick him into watching it."

"How is that going to work? Don't you think it'll be a tad suspicious? Just Joey and I? Puh-lease! He's a real basket case, but he's not that foolish!"

"Just say you'll get a bucket of wings and he'll be here, it's that easy," Tristan rolled his eyes.

Tea shot stares at her two friends with a questioning gleam in her icy blue eyes.

"Will you two stick around?"

"We will, but we'll stay hidden until Joey has seen the video."

"And what if he says no?"

"You're his friend. You and Joey haven't got in a fight yet, he won't decline your offer. Just work your charm and it's guaranteed."

Tea huffed in exhaustion, tapping her foot as she let the idea sink into her head. A quick sigh and she revealed her answer. "Fine, I'll call him now." She strutted off into another room to secure privacy of her conversation.

"Do you think he'll buy it?" Tristan engaged.

"Of course. Destiny always pulls through."

"Destiny huh? Looks like Kaiba just earned another dollar."

Ryou chuckled at the notion. "Make that two."

"But seriously, do you really think it was meant to be? Joey simply coming over?"

"Of course, his final word after seeing the video will tell us all we need to know."

"Like what?"

"If he is fighting for good, or evil."

"That's pretty harsh, don't yah think?"

"I'm allowed to be harsh, Bakura was a bloody bastard at times. I have the right to be cold."

Tristan chuckled, straightening up as Tea waltzed back into the room.

A moment of silence over took them as the three exchanged glanced.

"So, what is it?"

Tea pulled a smile. "The plan is a go. Joey will be here at 7."

Tristan and Ryou grinned widely and embraced in a high five.

"Perfect!"


	14. Lyin' Eyes

Joey groaned in pain while gently rubbing his stomach. A large belch erupted from the blonde as he slumped back in his chair and slowly closed his eyes.

"Joey, you look horrible," Tea giggled at the sight of her friend collapsed on the couch.

"I feel horrible, Tea," he admitted.

"How much did you eat today?"

"Well, there was dat large nacho burger combo at burger world…and then dat large pizza I split with Tristan and Ryou at the arcade…and now I just ate a huge bucket of wings."

"Only that much?" She remarked sarcastically.

"It's not funny."

Tea had bribed Joey over with the promise of wings, and honestly, it was surprising that food could do so many wonders in Joey's life. She let him eat before showing the video in attempt to not be so wicked and harsh, knowing if he saw the truth before he ate he would have just stormed out.

 _Maybe him having a stomach ache is a good thing,_ she thought. _Now he can't run out on us._

"How about that movie, Joey?" She offered innocently.

"Seeing as I'm not gunna be movin' for a while, a movie would do nicely," he burped.

Tea rolled her eyes in amusement before heading over to her phone connected to the tv and finding the video to set up.

"We're watching the movie from yer phone?"

"Uhh, yeah! I have the Netflix app…"

Joey shrugged carelessly and closed his eyes. "What movie are we watching?"

"Uh, it's a surprise…yup! A surprise." She turned on the TV and sighed anxiously. _This better work._

The moment Tea hit play, the video appeared on the screen. Joey lazily opened his eyes to catch a glimpse of the film. However, it was safe to say he wasn't expecting what actually played before him. His eyes narrowed in fury, nearly allowing himself to shout at Tea for the blasphemy she had committed! Fascinated at what happened next, Joey stopped himself from exploding, and raised his eyebrows at what he saw.

"Ya-Yami?" He muttered in confusion. His hands grew sweaty from how tight he clenched his fists, and his heart was beating loud enough for even Tea to hear. The tension in the room grew really thick, only to grow denser as Tristan and Ryou revealed themselves from a guest room.

Once the short clipped finished, a collective sigh released from all the friends. Joey's eyes were kept glued to the screen even after it had finished, trying to figure out what he saw. A couple minutes later, he jumped to his feet and faced the three accusers.

"This is the video you wanted to show me, yes?" He mumbled.

The boys nodded yes, keeping straight faces. Joey bowed his head in embarrassment, scratching his head all the while.

"What does this mean?" He finally asked.

"That's what we're trying to figure out," Ryou stepped forward. "This isn't automatically a bad thing, however, it does prove that Yugi is hiding something from us."

Joey's honey brown eyes gleamed in worry. "My best bud is hiding something from me?" He questioned himself. His gaze re-focused to Ryou. "Yug would never do that unless it was for a reason. He never keeps secrets."

"Perhaps," Ryou shrugged. "But he is now. That shadow he was speaking with…there's really only one of two cases that would make sense."

"You think the Pharaoh is really back?" Joey intervened.

"It's possible. He could have reformed to protect Yugi from these shadows that have placed themselves in his life."

"What's the alternative?"

Ryou looked to Tristan, whom was focused intently on Joey. He took a step closer to the blond. "The alternative is that Yami is the one hurting Yugi."

Joey shook his head in denial. "What? No way! Yams wouldn't do that!" His voice was firm.

"Well, maybe not the real Pharaoh. He did pass on, anyhow. But the only other option is that this shadow is taking on the appearance of Yami to help convince Yugi that he is on the right side. It's one or the other."

"This is all too much," he collapsed on to the couch and buried his face into his arms. "I thought I had it all figured out," he raised his head cautiously. "Now I don't know what to believe."

Tea walked beside her friend and placed a hand on his shoulder for comfort.

"Yugi is not in the right state of mind at the moment. It's up to us to help him."

Joey shot his head up to stare at the frail dancer. They held their eye contact a little longer than intended. "Tea, you should have seen him before I left to the arcade today. He was so happy. He seemed at peace…before I left, he pleaded that I stay on guard about what everyone says about him." He looked over to Tristan and Ryou. "And I was gunna fight for him no matter da cost….but that was before I saw the tape."

"You don't have to stop fighting for him, Joey," Tristan assured. "You just gotta fight from a different point of view."

"Well, what am I sposed to do now?"

"You're the only one who hasn't seen this shadow tamper with Yugi in some way or another. The plan is to get you to see the other Yugi. The one we have experienced," Ryou informed.

"Well, how do I do that?"

"We chatted about this before you came. The reoccurring theme was that Yugi switches personalities whenever someone questions his well-being."

"Huh?"

"The shadow that's watching over him doesn't like to be questioned. It doesn't want anyone intervening with Yugi's state of health for some reason. Perhaps because if someone knew that Yugi was being tampered with, they would try and help him. If his possessor scares everyone away, it can do what it pleases."

"But doesn't that only prove everyone's point more so?"

"Ideally in our situation, but it wouldn't normally."

"English, Ryou," Joey teased.

"We are a close knit group of mates. When Tea was being victimized, she was able to reach out to us. Normally, people would ignore her accusations, similar to what you were doing Joey. That is exactly what the shadow wants. For there is no reason for the possessor to be triggered if everyone minds their own business. Therefore, if you keep allowing yourself to be on Yugi's side, there would never be a reason for you to see the demon hurting Yugi. Not until it's too late, that is."

"You're saying this demon only comes out when someone tries to challenge it?"

"Precisely. The demon wants allies. It would never come after you if you were blinded from the truth."

"So what does it want? What's the point of all of this?"

"The end goal for this shadow, I am unsure of. However, if we can prove this theory with you triggering the demon taking over Yugi, then we can take further actions."

"What would these actions be?"

"We would make a few phone calls to Egypt. I'm sure Marik or Ishizu might have more information on what is going on."

Joey nodded in approval.

"Fair. So what do I do?"

"You find Yugi, you ask him if he's alright. Of course he's going to ask what you mean, and you will tell him that you know he's been talking to Yami. It's a pure fact. You don't need to tell him anymore than that. His outcome will prove or disprove our point. It's up to you. You're the last one he trusts."

Joey took in a deep breath, nodding once more. "Fine, I'll do it."

"Thank you, Joey!" Tea cooed with gleaming eyes.

"Don't thank me just yet, Tea." He murmured. "Let's not thank anyone until this is all over."

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Joey shuddered at the breeze tickling his warm skin, clinging his jacket closer to his body as he waited patiently at the park for Yugi's arrival.

If one thing was for sure, he was not excited about this little "play date". Joey couldn't deny what his friends showed him, but the last thing he wanted to do was change sides just when Yugi had pleaded him to be careful. Even if there was no evil spirits, it would be fair to expect a disappointing expression from his bud.

A few more minutes passed by until he spotted that infamous hair on a tiny, frail body. The closer he approached, the more nervous Joey grew. _I'm an awful friend_ , Joey sighed.

"Hey Joey!" Yugi greeted with excitement as he closed in for a hug. Joey, as per usual, gave his bud a quick noogie before continuing on.

"Yug, how are yah pal?" He asked with the slightest hint of sorrow in his voice.

"I'm feeling wonderful today!" The boy grinned widely. "The sun is shining, it's a Sunday afternoon, no homework…everything is great!"

 _I wish I could say the same._

"How are you, Joey?"

"Dandy," the blonde mumbled. They ventured silently on to the pathway and began journeying further into the park. "These flowers are beautiful."

"They sure are," Yugi hummed. "I might grab a few to bring home to Grandpa."

"How's the old man these days?"

The smaller teen's smile faded away at the question. "Oh, he's alright."

 _Did I strike a nerve?_ "Only alright?" He inquired further.

"He's been moody these past couple of days, though I can't figure out why."

Joey mentally kicked himself for what he was going to soon be inferring. "Gramps is usually very honest with yah. Did you try talking to him?"

Yugi's amethyst eyes peered up to meet Joey's. "Joey—he, he won't talk to me." He bowed his head shyly. "I, I don't know what I did wrong, but I get the feeling he's scared of me."

Joey gasped quietly as things started to piece together. Grandpa ignoring Yugi? Frightened, even? There was only one reason for that, and he had to make it apparent to his pal.

"Yugi..." he took in a deep breath. "Is everything okay?"

The King of Games raised his eyebrows at that. "What do you mean?"

 _Right on cue._ This was going to be difficult. Why had he have to be the one to do this? What a drag…. "Yugi…I'm worried about you."

"Why?"

"Yugi…I…" _Stop stalling and say it!_ Joey bowed his head in guilt. "You've been communicating with a shadow, haven't you?

It was quiet. All too quiet for a minute. The blonde wanted to raise his head, but dare he admit he was scared to do so. He gulped as the tension grew thicker, noticing that Yugi had stopped walking, and it was only sane that Joey do so also.

"What are you saying?" The words came out too harsh from such a sweet boy. It was only natural for Joey to raise his head and take a glance at Yugi, and when he had, he wished he hadn't.

His eyes were darker than usual, haunting Joey to the point where he shivered all together. He cleared his throat nervously. "You kept secrets from me, bud. You never told me that you were in contact with something beyond our world." He hadn't wanted to say Yami…not yet, at least.

Fury grew at an alarming rate in the young boy. His skin grew hot and sweaty as his eyes narrowed sharply. "Who told you that?!" He spat in frustration. "Those traitors you call friends?"

That statement didn't fly too well with Joey. He scrunched his face in anger. "They're you're friends too, Yug! We care about you! Besides, they didn't needa tell me anything! I saw it for myself!"

Joey watched as the anger boiled within his pal's body. He had to keep going. "You have yet to tell me the whole truth, Yug! How can I be on your side if you keep things from me? You're not alright, aren't yah? Something is wrong and I need you to tell me, now! It's not a coincidence that Tea, Trist, Ryou and even Gramps have seen a different side of yah that you can't explain! Now admit it!"

It didn't take long after that, matter a fact, it went down all too quickly. It seemed that Joey had only blinked, and within that moment, a whole new Yugi was revealed. He snagged the blonde by the arm only to shove him into some bushes behind him. Joey was in awe, scattering backwards as he noticed a pissed off Yugi with fiery eyes closing in. _Don't hurt him,_ he had to tell himself. _That's not Yugi, don't hurt his body._ But if it came to it, deep inside he knew he might have to.

"How fucking dare you!" He cursed viciously. "I thought I could trust you, but you are no better than the fleas off a diseased swine!"

Joey trembled beneath his friend as he continued to toss nasty words.

"I once boasted about your loyalty, but how wrong was I! You are scum...you have sunk low enough to reach! How dare you threaten me and accuse me of being anything but perfect, for I am nothing short of the best!"

"What did you do with Yugi?!" Joey yelled.

Yugi only chuckled deviously, reaching down to tug at Joey's collar and pulled him close. "I am Yugi, but you are nothing short of a mutt." He laughed while throwing him back to the ground. "Get on your knees and beg for mercy!"

Joey had a different plan as he stared into the hellish eyes of what was once his friend. His breaths grew heavier, but he decided to spit it out.

"Yami? Yami is that you?"

The blonde had gaped at the sight of Yugi's eyes widening in sudden realization. It was almost as if for a slight moment, Yugi had regained control. Unfortunately, it didn't last long.

"Listen here, vermin! If you ever approach me again you will highly regret the day you were born, is that understood?"

Joey tried to cease his panting, but it wasn't working so well. He continued to try his luck. "You're not the Pharaoh, are you?" He interrogated.

Yugi kneeled down to meet Joey face to face, fury jolting through his veins. "I could kill you here and now if you desire, Joey Wheeler."

Joey took this moment to get a good look at this demon, nearly spitting on him as he revealed that "I would prefer to live."

"Then consider yourself warned." With that, Yugi rose slowly with a devilish laugh, and preceded to strut off.

The blonde rose to his feet, dusting the dirt off his pants and quickly pulling out his phone to dial a number.

"Joey? Did you talk to Yugi yet?" Tea asked.

"I did," he panted.

"Well?"

Joey swung around to face where Yugi once stood.

"Get the gang together…we need to call Marik immediately."

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"Yami, where are we going?"

"You'll see, Aibou."

Yugi frowned in annoyance as Yami continued to pull the boy upwards through the woods. It was an old hiking trail not too far away from the park, and after Yugi had met with Joey, Yami insisted that he took him on a detour.

The Pharaoh's grip was tight, causing Yugi to wince slightly at the pain as they soldiered uphill, branches smacking the two along the way. Yami seemed determined and numb as he dragged the King of Games roughly through the trail.

"Yami! Be careful, these branches keep hitting me!"

The Pharaoh remained expressionless, simply grabbing the boy and lifting him bridal style, holding him close to his chest and jogging the rest of the way.

Yugi was heavily confused. He was aware that Yami could interfere with objects and even touch people, but how was it that a spirit could actually lift him up a hill? Something wasn't right.

It wasn't too long after that when they arrived to the top of the cliff which peeked over the ocean. Atem gently placed Yugi on his feet and scurried to the edge of the cliff to peek over. Yugi hesitantly followed, shaking as his head tilted over and caught a glimpse of the waves shattering over the ragged rocks. He jumped at the touch of a hand on his shoulder, cautiously pulling him back.

"Not too close, Aibou," Atem ordered protectively.

"I didn't know this place existed," the teen shivered as walking back. "Why did you take me here?"

The cold stone look on the Pharaoh's face was enough to keep Yugi spooked and on his guard. He trusted Yami, yes, but that didn't mean he couldn't be scared of him at times.

The elder sorrowfully sauntered over to a bolder and sat down with a huff, then patting his lap for Yugi to take a seat with him.

"What's wrong?" Yugi stammered while cuddling up on his love.

"We lost Joey," he huffed regretfully.

"What?!"

"No, do not worry. We haven't lost him physically, I meant that we lost his support."

Yugi sighed somewhat in relief, but then raised his eyebrows in question. "What do you mean? I don't remember him showing any signs of mistrust." The boy studied his mate's worried face, growing tenser at the realization that Yami knew something that he hadn't.

"Yami, you didn't drag me up here to look at the ocean. What happened? What did I do? Why couldn't you have told me this at home?"

Atem ran his fingers through Yugi's hair in attempt to soothe him, humming a soft tune to bring relaxation to the situation. Lovingly he nuzzled the top of his head in Yugi's hair, laying soft kisses upon the top of his head. Yugi simply moaned at the notion, taking in deep breaths as he found his comfort in his love.

"Yugi," his baritone voice broke the sweet silence.

"Mhm?" He dazed.

The Pharaoh sighed in regret. "It wasn't safe for me to take you home after what happened."

Those words acted as a shot in the heart. Instantly the boy's eyes flickered open in worry. He scooched off of Atem's lap, standing up to face him. He winced at the pained look on Yami's face, matched with eyes of desire and the need to comfort.

"What-what happened?" He stuttered nervously.

"Yugi, you went to the park with Joey today," Atem murmured.

"I recall!" A hint of confidence tugging at the boy.

"But do you recall the rest of it?"

Yugi turned around to hide the trickling tears down his cheek. He didn't want to admit that he hadn't remembered, for that could only mean one thing. Heavy footsteps inched towards him, and a hand to grab his shoulder soon followed. Yami turned Yugi around, staring powerfully into his eyes.

"I don't want to frighten you, but I must tell you what I saw."

Yugi bowed his head in denial, tensing his fists and weeping quietly.

"I regret to tell you that you were-"

"WHY DIDN'T YOU HELP ME?!" Yugi screamed in frustration, jolting back towards the woods in attempt to escape. He was traumatized at the idea of possibly hurting his best friend back in the park. How dare Yami see this and fail to do anything? No…things weren't getting better anymore. They were getting worse, painfully worse.

Atem raced after the boy, thankfully being taller and spirit like, catching him quickly and picking him up to swing over his shoulder. Yugi began beating on his back, sobbing and kicking as the elder brought him back to the top of the cliff. With a deep breath, Atem placed the boy down and rustled him into a hug.

"You were controlled by a dark being," Yami revealed while massaging Yugi's back. "I'm sorry, Aibou. I wish I could have helped, but there was nothing I could do. I am not able to unite with you as I once did."

"BUT YOU ARE A SHADOW, YAMI!" Yugi wept, looking up with his large, weak, puppy dog eyes. Yami gasped slightly at just how broken Yugi appeared. "Couldn't you have done anything? Can't you stop it before it hurts me?"

This isn't fair. None of it was. Yami groaned in anger, releasing Yugi and marching over to the edge of the cliff, peering down as if the ocean would swirl some answers up.

"Don't you think I would have done so if I were able to?!" He snorted. "Do you think I enjoy seeing you being injured or upset? Who do you take me for?!" He called out into the ocean, knowing Yugi was painfully listening behind. "I would do anything to make you happy, Aibou! Anything to keep you out of harm's way!" The words came out like poison, causing Yami more pain as he spewed out empty statements. "There is nothing worse than uselessly standing beside you, trembling as I watch you get strangled and knowing that I have accomplished nothing by being near you." He closed his eyes and breathed in heavily. "I love you more than anything," that much was true, "And all I want is to help you." Slowly he opened his eyes and spun around. "I apologize that I am failing at this simple task."

It wasn't getting any easier to stare into Yugi's broken eyes. The poor boy was so easily wounded, and Ra damn that it took so long to piece him back up.

"Is he hurt?" Yugi exhaled. "Did I hurt Joey?"

"Joey will be okay, Aibou. He is fine, I promise you that."

Yugi threw himself into Yami's arms, sniffling all the while. "I'm sorry for yelling at you. I love you, Yami. I'm just scared, that's all. I know you're trying your best."

"It's quite alright, Aibou," he breathed. "I'm sorry too."

They stayed like that for a while. It seemed that commotions were always solved once they were in each other's arms.

"I brought you here because I hoped that the serenity of the ocean would calm you," Yami revealed after a while. "I wanted to make sure my Yugi was back in safe hands before I took you home."

The teen nodded in understanding. "It's gorgeous here. Thank you."

"I'm sorry I couldn't help you or Joey," Yami continued on.

"I've lost his trust, haven't I?"

"It seems so."

"Maybe if he knew you were here it could—"

"No! Yugi….no. You promised that you would tell no one," The Pharaoh seethed. "Make that promise again."

"Yami…why?"

"It's important. Please Yugi, I beg of you."

Yugi sighed with a fret. "I promise."

"And I promise to do whatever I can to stop the lingering evil." Atem grabbed Yugi's hands and gazed into his eyes. "Let us return home, Aibou."

()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()

"Ladies and Gentlemen, we are gathered here today to-"

"C'mon Tristan! This ain't a wedding! Get on with it!" Joey hissed, crossing his arms in annoyance.

"Well alright, who wants to call?" Tristan beamed while twirling his phone around as if it were on display.

The gang met up at Burger World to call the Ishtar family in request for help or further explanation of their situation.

"Marik put me in a coma, fuck you if yah think I'm gunna call him," Joey spat. He was in a pretty awful mood after his meeting with Yugi.

Tristan rolled his eyes at Joey's attitude. "Who does he hate least?

Mumbles and questions filled the table as they tried to decide who could stable enough to talk to an Ishtar on the phone. Tea sighed after a minute and spoke up.

"Come on guys, Marik isn't evil anymore. He destroyed the darkness within. Give him a break."

Tristan eagerly stuffed his phone in her face. "It's all yours, then."

Tea rolled her eyes and snatched it up, dialing the number rapidly and waiting for an answer.

"Hello?"

"Marik! Hey there! It's me, Tea Gardner from Domino City! How are you?"

"Oh hello Tea! It's nice to hear from you. I'm fine thanks, how about yourself?"

"Fine and dandy, Marik."

"What brings you to call today?"

Tea's eyes widened as she put the speaker on and motioned to her friends that spilling details was open to everyone.

"Well, I'm actually with some friends. You're on speaker, I've got Ryou, Tristan and Joey with me today."

"Hello everyone!" Marik greeted.

"Hi Marik," a united muffle replied.

"Marik, we're calling today because we're kind of in a rut."

"Alright, I'm listening."

"It's about Yugi," her voice cracked. "There's something wrong with him."

"Yugi? Like what?"

Joey snatched up the phone and pulled it close, nearly screaming into the speaker. "He tried to attack me today, that's what!"

"Excuse me?"

Tea grabbed the phone from Joey. "Occasionally he gets possessed by some evil being. It's…it's very strange."

"Well, what happens exactly?"

Ryou looked up to Tea and motioned for her to give him the phone. After doing so, he turned the speaker off.

"Marik, it's Ryou," he introduced softly while standing up from the table, glancing at his friends to aware them that he would be stepping away for a tad.

"What was that all about?" Tristan questioned once Ryou exited.

"Maybe he can explain it better," Tea suggested. "They both went through similar things. It's probably best if one educated person goes into detail rather than a bunch of nervous nellies."

"Yah callin' me uneducated?" Joey stormed.

"Calm down, Joey! I know you're upset after today but that's not helping the situation. If you can't gather yourself enough to try and fix this then maybe you should go home."

The blonde rolled his eyes at the girl's remarks. "Yugi needs me. I ain't goin anywhere."

The three patiently snacked on some fries and attempted small talk, but it was apparent that it was just the nerves talking. A few minutes later, Ryou re-entered the building and slid in the booth.

"What happened?" Tristan pried.

Ryou kept a straight face on. "Marik said this situation sounds vaguely familiar, but he can't recall why. He promised to talk to Ishizu about it, and have her call us back tomorrow afternoon after some research."

"Okay," Tea sighed. "Maybe it's not as bad as it seems."

"Oh quite the contrary, Miss Gardner," Ryou exhaled. "This could be rather dangerous for us all."


	15. Velvet Underground

****"Despicable! I ask you to complete one task and the outcome is a miserable failure! The incompetence of my staff is incredible!"

"I apologize Mr. Kaiba, however—"

"I did not ask for your pathetic excuses! Now get out of my office!"

Seto Kaiba groaned in utter annoyance before plopping back onto his swivel chair and spinning around to face the windows of his corporation's headquarters. It had been a long week for the prodigy millionaire, and unfortunately it was only getting worse. His fingers tapped anxiously on the arm of his chair as he sighed heavily as the moments dragged on.

"Big brother!"

The teen cleared his throat before spinning around to see young Mokuba Kaiba running towards his desk.

"What is it, Mokuba?" Kaiba huffed.

"I could hear you yelling from outside," he panted before steadying himself in front of Seto's desk. "What did he fail to do?"

"It doesn't concern you," the elder rolled his eyes before turning his attention to some unfinished paper work placed before him.

"Fine, don't tell me. I already know," Kaiba raised his eyebrows at his brother's testimony. "How come you had to be so mean? Croquet couldn't help the outcome of that!"

"If he was any good at his job he would have pulled through, Mokuba."

"Come on Seto! It's not his fault Ishizu didn't answer the phone! Maybe you should call her yourself."

"I don't have time for such foolish actions."

"Foolish? How is it—"

"Mokuba!" Kaiba slammed a fist on the desk as his eyes daggered to his younger brother. "Drop the matter immediately. I wouldn't want to have to escort you from my office."

The statement alone caused Mokuba to shiver in response to his brother's cruelty. His eyes widened in concern before he dropped his head in embarrassment.

"I see how it is," the younger muttered. "You've changed, Seto." He turned his back and slowly began sauntering to the door.

Kaiba groaned in guilt at the realization of being a little too forceful. "Mokuba, wait! I'm sorry."

The boy stopped in his track, lightly looking back to see a soft, apologetic smile from his big brother. Mokuba grinned in response, turning completely to see his brother.

"I've been having a difficult time sleeping, it's starting to take a toll on me," Kaiba revealed resentfully.

"Well that's because you work too hard bro! You need to learn how to turn off your laptop and put your paper work away. Kaiba Corp won't crash and burn because you turn off the lights at night, you know?"

Kaiba smirked at his brother's attempt to be encouraging, however he knew that wasn't the problem. "No, Mokuba. It's not that," he sighed. "My mind…it's preoccupied with thoughts of the past. The recent past. My adventure in ancient Egypt."

"Really?"

Kaiba nodded sternly. "When I manage to fall asleep, I get these horrifically vivid dreams of them. Sometimes they are of the ancient past and my ancestors, and occasionally they are of current times."

"What do you mean bro?"

"Something feels off. I can feel it in my blood. You know I hate that Egypt garbage more than my own stepfather, however, I can't shake off these alarming sensations."

"Is that why you tried to call Ishizu?"

"Correct. I just want a second opinion on all of this. Perhaps something is happening that I'm not aware of?"

"But I thought you didn't believe in all of that stuff?"

"Not particularly, however, it's difficult to not believe what one has experienced."

"It's going to be okay, big brother! Try calling Ishizu on your own line, maybe she will recognize the number and feel more prone to answer. I wouldn't want my big brother to lose any more sleep and continue to feel scared." Mokuba winked after his tease, causing Kaiba to roll his eyes in amusement.

"Shut up, Mokuba."

The boy giggled while prancing off towards the door. Kaiba took in a deep breath upon his exit. Perhaps Mokuba was right, a firsthand call to Ishizu could do some good for him. It was the next step on his agenda.

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It wasn't until 4 in the morning when Seto Kaiba finally began to doze off into a mystifying slumber. He was instantly greeted with one of his intimidating dreams that he had grown to despise. The atmosphere was thick, dark and ominous, leaving no clear message to the uninformed millionaire. It appeared as if he was floating in this rustic environment, simply drifting around a puzzling place with no sense of direction. A great fog blurred his vision, and distant chants corroded his mind. Eventually he came across a barrier of some sorts, squinting his eyes as to get a better look.

The chants grew louder as he approached the barrier, which soon became apparent as a shattered Egyptian Obelisk. Before he knew it, the air had cleared and his feet were grounded. Quickly he flung his head around in attempt to grasp where he was and why. His surroundings lead him to confirm that he was in an underground chamber of sorts, similar to where Yugi and the Pharaoh had their duel. Broken rock and ruins surrounded the teen as he stumbled around the area.

Eventually his eyes fixated onto a particular slab of rock that was adorned with carved hieroglyphs. At first, the images were completely foreign to the teen, but after a few moments of studying the message, he was able to understand a few words.

"Pharaoh?" He raised his eyebrows at his new understanding of the hieroglyphs. He drew a finger to trace along the images. "Return? Deception? The host body? Prophecy?" Unfortunately, whatever message carved onto the rock was not easily translated. Kaiba was able to pick out a few words, but not enough before his time was out. The sound of collapsing rock startled the teen to the point where he began running in any which direction. It didn't take long before Kaiba had awoken breathless in his bed, sweating and aching all over.

"I'm sick of this," he muttered under his breath, peeking over to notice that he had only fallen asleep for one hour. He aggressively grabbed his cellphone and made the dreaded call to Ishizu Ishtar.

"Hello?" A soft, monotone voice answered.

"Ishizu?"

"Kaiba?"

"Yes, it's me."

"Mr. Seto Kaiba, I can honestly say I am surprised to hear your voice, especially this early in the morning. It's only 9am here, therefore it must be…"

"I didn't call to gossip about the time difference, Ishizu. And I most definitely am not interested in exchanging small talk."

Kaiba frowned at the sound of Ishizu giggling softly over the phone. "I see you haven't changed much," she acknowledged. "No matter, why _did_ you call, Kaiba?"

"I need answers," he exhaled. "Perhaps you can help me. I've been having these strange dreams of Egypt and caves and magic and it's driving me up a wall. I haven't been able to sleep without one! And even upon being awake I feel overwhelmed with this dreary sensation. I was hoping you could shed light on the situation."

There was a moment of silence on the line, causing Kaiba to groan in annoyance. "Any time now."

"Excuse me, Kaiba. I was attempting to make sense of your situation by looking over my recent research."

"Recent research? What for?"

"You aren't the only one from Domino who was attempted to contact me."

"What?!" Kaiba fisted his bed sheet.

"You remember Tea Gardner, Joey Wheeler, and Tristan Taylor?"

"Those dweebs? Don't remind me!"

"They called my brother yesterday. Apparently they are worried about Yugi."

"Yugi? What?"

"They claim he has been possessed under numerous situations. I was trying to study what may be happening to him. The whole case sounds familiar, but I can't make anything out yet. They claim that he has been conferring with the Pharaoh again."

"The Pharaoh?!" Kaiba gasped. "The Pharaoh? Pharaoh! Yugi!"

"Kaiba? You sound as if you know something that I don't."

Kaiba quickly flung the sheets off his body and jumped to his feet while pacing around the room, trying to piece things together.

"I had a dream before I called you," he revealed. "I was beginning to translate some hieroglyphics from an underground chamber, similar to the one Yugi and the Pharaoh dueled in. I was able to pick out a few words, but not enough before my dream had ended."

"What were the words?"

Kaiba scratched his head anxiously. "Pharaoh? Uh…the host body? Some type of prophecy….deception…someone returning…."

"OH RA!"

"What is it?!"

"That's it! That's where I need to look!"

"Ishizu?"

"Kaiba, you may have just saved your friend."

"Yugi is not my friend. I respect him as a duelist, but he is not—"

"Listen to me! Those dreams were vital to solving the puzzle! Believe it or not, you have just granted me important information to saving Yugi. I know where to look now. Thank you."

"What is going on?"

"Thank you, Kaiba. Goodnight."

"Ishizu! Wait!-"

His calls were drained by the dial tone.

()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()

"I'm afraid, Arthur."

"I understand, Solomon, but it will be okay. Just do not provoke him in anyway, not until we have more answers."

Solomon huffed in loss before taking another sip of coffee. He had been spending a lot of time with Professor Hawkins in attempt to gather information about Yugi's outbreaks, but they weren't getting close. He was too scared to bring his grandson to a hospital, but knew all too well that something had to be done.

He found that as long as he left Yugi alone, nothing would happen between them. It broke the elder's heart to ignore his grandson to such an extent, but it was the only way he felt safe. Solomon tried to distance himself from the awkwardness by escaping with the Hawkins, but he could only do it so often before Yugi would grow anxious.

"Grandpa! I'm home!" Yugi hollered upon entering the house. Solomon was upstairs with Arthur, catching a quick lunch break from working the shop.

Solomon nodded with a shiver, as if Yugi was able to see his acknowledgment. It wasn't long after when the sound of feet pattering up the stairs became apparent. The elder forced a smile at the sight of his grinning grandson, bundled up in a leather jacket.

"How was the park?" He stammered.

"Fine," Yugi tossed the word. His gaze drifted to the guest. "Hello professor Hawkins."

"Yugi," Arthur greeted with a nod. Yugi smiled softly before passing the two and running up to his room.

Solomon and Arthur marinated in the silence for a few minutes longer. "Shall we get back to work?" Mr. Mutou questioned.

"Lets."

()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()

"Oh he wasn't that bad!" Yami defended upon entering the boy's room.

"He barely looked at me!" Yugi pouted, slamming the door shut. "He forced a smile just to humor me! Please Yami! Please let me tell him! Maybe he can help us? It would do us more good if he knew rather than keeping it a secret!"

"You know why we can't tell him, Aibou," Yami grinned softly for encouragement while pushing back one of Yugi's golden bangs behind his ear.

"I know you think you can do this on your own, Yami, but you have failed to do so! Grandpa could help us!"

"It's too dangerous! If he is enlightened about the powers of the darkness they will go after him too."

"Grandpa is not stupid," Yugi moaned before plopping on his bed. "He already knows there's a darkness within me. I can see it in his eyes."

Yami sucked his teeth, lingering over to join Yugi on the bed and pulling him into a comforting hug.

"I understand that, but you telling him that upfront is not going to scare the evil away either. It could only cause problems. Unfortunately, this is out of his hands."

"Then who's hands is it in?!" Yugi rebuked aggressively. "Because if you can't do anything, than who can?"

"I'm trying, Yugi," Yami mumbled with loss of patience. "You know I am."

"I know you are," Yugi sighed. "Just…keep trying, please."

"With all my heart and soul," the elder placed a kiss on Yugi's forehead. "Now please get some rest. You've had quite the day. Perhaps tomorrow we can venture back to the cliff? It will help ease your mind."

"I like that," Yugi grinned sweetly before curling up on the bed. Yami smiled at the sight of his precious Aibou cuddled up in so many blankets. It didn't take long before the Pharaoh curled up right next to him, holding his light tight and whispering words of comfort.

()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()

"Sister, where are you going?"

"I am leaving for the site where the Ceremonial Duel took place, Marik," Ishizu informed while grabbing a bag to sling over her shoulder. "I believe there may be information there to explain what has been happening to Yugi."

"Let me accompany you," Marik offered while reaching for his black vest.

"That's not necessary, Marik, I'll be fine on my own."

"I'm aware," the teen objected. "I want to come. I owe it to Yugi and his friends after all the trouble I caused them. I might be able to help you."

Ishizu sighed in defeat, realizing that her stubborn brother would never let this opportunity slide. "Come." Marik smiled at the offer as they exited the room.

Half an hour later the two arrived to royal grounds, staring at the collapsed walls as the desert winds lifted sand into the air.

"How can we possibly find information here?" Marik questioned as Ishizu began to investigate the ruins.

"Look for openings. There's got to be something."

After ten minutes of extensive searching, a pathway revealed itself from the corroded rock. "Here Marik! Follow me!"

The two crawled through the narrow space, breathing heavily as they furthered themselves into the cave.

"This is quite dangerous," Marik coughed.

"Marik! Look!" Ishizu called upon finally being able to stand. There were shattered boulders everywhere. Marik shivered at the sight. It was only a month ago where he and his friends stood in this ruin, watching Yugi duel the Pharaoh. Now it was so desolate and broken.

"Search the ruins!" She ordered.

The siblings jumped into the search, pulling out a few books for reference and tracing their fingers across various hieroglyphic messages. It was chilling to be underground in such an un-sturdy place, but they knew it had to be done.

"Sister, I can't decode anything!" Marik complained after twenty minutes dragged by.

"Keep looking, brother! There has got to be something here!"

"Says who? That loser Kaiba? He's probably just messing with you, sister."

"Marik, stop you're whining and search!"

"I'm tired! Let's return to—"

"Marik! I think I found something!"

"What?" He tip toped over to where his sister laid, intently studying the inscriptions on the rock. The two began researching the symbols through their reference books, and after five minutes of decoding, the pair gasped in shock.

"No…way…" Marik gaped at the sight.

"I can't believe it!" Ishizu gasped.

"This is incredible! Was this here before it collapsed?"

"Perhaps, I just can't believe we never noticed it before!"

"Maybe we did, sister! We have studied these ruins as children, which is probably why the situation sounded familiar to us!"

"We must warn the others right away! Yugi could be in great danger!"

"Let's hurry, we have no time to waste!"


	16. Heart of the Matter

"Yugi, I see keeping track of time isn't one of your priorities these days, is it?"

"My apologies, Mr. Bostock."

"If your tardiness continues to be an issue in the future we may need to get a guardian involved."

Yugi bowed his head in embarrassment as he lured his way over to an empty desk in the back of the room. Joey, Tristan, Tea, and Ryou all cocked their heads to acknowledge the fact that he had purposely distanced himself from the group.

"What's he doin' all da way back there?" Joey whispered generally.

"I feel safer with him in the back, to be honest," Tea mumbled under her breath.

"Poor guy's all alone," Tristan joined in.

"Quiet down over there!" Mr. Bostock ordered from his desk.

The teens slumped their shoulders and obeyed, anxiously sitting through the rest of class. It had been just as awkward for Yugi, whom just wanted to create distance from his friends. He cared about them profoundly, and definitely did not want to risk being possessed and hurting any one of them. That evil was still out there, growing with every moment.

Lunch time peeked around the corner soon enough, leaving the gang to huddle at the tables and discuss the news.

"Yug usually sits with us at lunch," Joey informed Ryou, who was somewhat new to their group customs.

"I coulda figured that one out on me own, Joey," the brit smiled.

"Wise guy, huh?"

"Joey!" Tristan and Tea whined in unison.

"Yeah, yeah, I know…be on my best behavior. I get it. So, when are we expectin' a call from da Ishtars?"

"Should be sometime after school," Tea responded. "I really hope they found something worth sharing."

"You and me both," Tristan huffed. "I feel horrible about all of this. Yugi saved our asses for over a year, never letting a single thing tear him down or keep him from protecting us. The one time he needs help, we're all shamefully hiding in the corner talking behind his back."

"Don't say that, man!" The blonde intervened. "We're tryin' our best! I don't care if Yug tries to kill me, I'll always be on his side."

"Perhaps we're all just flustered because duel monsters can't save us this time," Ryou suggested innocently.

"That's the only logical solution," Joey agreed playfully.

"I just hope he's okay," Tea whimpered anxiously, cocking her head left and right to try and see if he would join them.

Part of her wanted to see him and talk to him like the way things used to be, but she knew it was best for him to keep his distance. Yugi knew that too. Instead of going to lunch with his friends, he had journeyed outside to the court yard. The air was cool, resulting with him being the only outside at the time. It worked out in his favor, considering Yami was able to unite with him.

"Staying away from your friends, I presume," Yami offered the idea while appearing besides the teen.

Yugi smiled graciously at the sight of his love, pulling his jacket closer to him with a shiver. "I just don't want to scare them. They probably don't even like me anymore."

The Pharaoh nodded his head in disappointment at the sound of his negativity. "Don't say that, Aibou. They love you, they are just blinded by evil forces. It is not their fault."

"They might be blinded by them, but at least they're not possessed by them."

Those words alone made Yami shiver uncomfortably. "I'm working on it, Aibou," he mumbled distastefully.

"Any news on the matter?"

"Not particularly. I do believe there is a trigger to this spirit that takes over you. However, until I can part its bond from you, it is wise for you to remain—"

"In isolation?" Yugi looked up with wide eyes. "In solitude? In captivity? In prisoned?"

"Alone," Atem interrupted.

"Same thing," the teen coughed.

"Perhaps we should go to the cliff after school. It could do you good."

"I suppose."

Yami bowed his head in guilt at the sight of his troubled light. If only he could be honest with him, but by Ra he couldn't do that. He couldn't do anything. He had to continue on.

"Yugi…I…"

The bell rang obnoxiously, interrupting Yami from his little spiel.

"I'll see you later, Yami," Yugi fretted, sauntering his way back in doors.

()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()

"Would you folk like a cup of tea?"

Mumbled "please" and "thank you's" erupted from the nervous teens as they waited anxiously in the living room of Ryou's home.

"What if she doesn't call?" Tea stammered. "What if she can't help us?"

"Don't say that, Tea! We need to have faith," Tristan rebuked.

Joey sat on the edge of his seat, tapping his fingers subconsciously to the rhythm on his beating heart. It was the first time for a while where he was completely silent.

"Would you bloke care for any biscuits?" Ryou hollered from the kitchen.

"Yeah."

"Sure."

Suddenly, Tea's phone started ringing, causing everyone to go in uproar.

"THAT'S HER! IT'S GOT TO BE HER I DON'T RECOGNIZE THE NUMBER!"

"ANSWER IT!"

"PICK IT UP, YOU BLOODY TART!" Ryou joked from afar.

She hastily answered the phone and switched on the speaker "Hello?"

"Hello, this is a courtesy call from CVS Pharmacy, for Tea Gardner. You're prescription is ready for pick up. Please—"

In wild embarrassment, Tea disconnected the call and blushed at the angered faces on her friends.

"Sorry," she crossed her arms behind her back and rolled her eyes up in innocence.

"AHH COME ON!"

"Was that Ishizu?" Ryou called from the kitchen, peeking his head around the corner.

"No, it was fucking CVS," Tristan muttered. "They always call at the worst moments."

A quiet vibration went off on the table from Ryou's phone. The gang just sighed in frustration.

"Ryou, someone is trying to call you," Tea pouted.

"Bring it here then, if you would."

The dancer grabbed the phone and ran it over to Ryou before returning to the living room.

"What was that about?" Tristan eyed.

"I don't know, whatever the case, it wasn't Ishizu. I called them with my phone yesterday, so there's no way that she would have his numb—"

"Ishizu!" Ryou's voice rang from the other room.

Tristan, Joey, and Tea jolted to their feet, spewing out profanities and rushing to the kitchen to see Ryou on the phone.

"Is it really her?" Tristan heaved.

"Yes."

"Put her on speaker!"

"Ishizu, you are currently in the company of Tristan, Joey and Tea."

"Hello everyone," she greeted sweetly.

"Ishizu! We didn't expect that you would be calling Ryou," Tea joined in.

She giggled softly. "He gave my brother his number yesterday."

Ryou shrugged. He must have done so when he had excused himself from the booth.

"What's the news?!" Joey interrupted aggressively. "Have yah found anything?"

"Matter a fact, I have. I couldn't have done it without Seto Kaiba."

"KAIBA?" they screamed in unison.

"Correct, he called me last night and reported a strange dream. This allowed me to rekindle my memory, leading me to the site of the Ceremonial Duel. Marik and I searched the rubble for answers. I am happy to inform you that we found the answers you were looking for, but sad to reveal that this is more serious than you may have thought."

"Tell us! We need to know! How serious?" Tristan roared.

"Quite serious. For if Yugi cannot come to terms with himself, he may face death."

()()()()()()())()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()

"I like it here, Yami," Yugi took in a deep breath of the fresh sea air, standing proud and tall by the edge. "I kinda wish I could just grab a tent and hike it up here for the night."

Yami forced a smile at the sight of his light feeling so free and happy. If only he knew.

"Away from all of my troubles. Away from my friends who have turned their backs on me. Away from my Grandpa who can barely stand to be near me. Away from everyone…" Yugi turned around to see his muscular, masculine soulmate stand before him with gleaming eyes. "Everyone except for you."

"Don't say that, Aibou. They love you," Atem pouted.

"They don't do a good job of showing it."

"I love you, Yugi," Atem interrupted his own thought.

"What's there to love?" Yugi poked, eyebrows raising with doubt.

The Pharaoh chuckled as his curious love, strutting closer to him with a seductive smirk.

"I love the way your hair blows in the wind," he teased, deepening his voice to sound more poetic. Yugi blushed as Yami inched closer.

"I love the way your nose crinkles when I bestow you with deserving compliments. Oh, and the way your cheeks flush red when you hear them."

"Yami!" the boy flushed.

"I love the way you dress," Yami moaned, grabbing his lover by the waist and pulling him close. "With your tight leather pants and constricting black tank top…the way you wear those silver chains and bracelets…as if you were waiting for me to take you at night."

"Yami?!" Yugi pulled back, surprised by how cynical his darkness just sounded.

The Pharaoh could only muster up a chuckle as a response. "The way you stand up for what you believe in. The way you protect your loved ones. Your sacrificial love. Your indestructible patience. The softness in your angelic voice, the firmness in your heart."

"You really think all these things about me?"

"I've known them true very early in our relationship."

Yugi grinned widely before embracing Yami in a powerful hug. "I love you so much! I want to be with you forever!" Yami massaged Yugi's back with one hand and twirled his hair with the other. "Stay with me, my love," Yugi pleaded.

"I will be with you for-"

But in that moment, Yami froze in his tracks. He dropped his arms to his side, pulling himself back from Yugi. His eyes grew wide as he stared into the horizon, nearly shaking with sudden realization.

"Yami? Yami, my love? Are you alright?" Yugi tensed up at his love being so suddenly distant.

The Pharaoh quivered as he stumbled back just a tad more. For a few moments, he lost all feeling in his soul. For he was clouded with a distasteful vision….a disturbing realization.

 _They knew._ And now he wouldn't have much time. He had prayed for more time, but he hadn't enough. His shaking grew heavy, soon accompanied with heavy breathing. Poor Yugi was tearing up at Yami's discomfort.

 _They know,_ Atem thought. _They know the truth and they are coming for Yugi. I…I have to do it. I have to tell Yugi what he has to do…._

But no. Yami couldn't bring himself to it. His inner dispute caused him to moan in pain, making him stumble to his knees. Yugi rushed over, kneeling down to offer Yami support.

"Yami, what's going on? Please…tell me!"

 _I must tell him! …No…no, I need more time!_

"Yugi…we must go," Atem informed weakly. "We must get out of here before it's too late."

"Ya-Yami?"

The Pharaoh jumped to his knees, grabbing Yugi protectively by the arm and pulling him back through the woods.

"Where are we going?"

"Away from here. Out of Domino. If at least for the night. It's not safe here anymore."

"Yami! Please...what's going on? Why do we have to go? Why did you look so troubled back there?"

He continued to drag Yugi through the woods, nearly running down the paths in attempt to get out.

"I had a vision that a great evil is near and ready to take action. We must leave."

"I trust you!"

It was too easy. Yugi would believe one lie after another. It was because he was in love. Yami knew that all too well. _Fight me, Yugi,_ Yami prayed to himself. _Don't let me win!_ It would be a lot to ask of his light. For how could he destroy the one he loved?


	17. Stairway to Heaven

"Ya-Yami! I don't understand! Please…please talk to me?"

Night was inching upon them, leaving a cool misty vibe in the air. Little Yugi shivered at the chilly breeze as he was being dragged along by Yami towards a small motel. The Pharaoh had convinced him to jump on a bus that lead them 20 minutes outside of the city. Fear welled up inside the young teen, but he continued to move on.

"Yami…I'm only 16! There's no way they're going to give me a room by myself!"

"Don't worry about that, my light," Yami assured with a grave expression. His eyes narrowed as they arrived to the entrance of the motel, quickly letting go of Yugi and aggressively turning the boy to face him. "Yugi, you must trust me. I will explain everything shortly, however, I cannot do so until we can assure upmost privacy."

Yugi's eyes widened in fright at the haunting words spilling from his lover's lips. His shaking only intensified at the thought of being alone in the middle of nowhere, left to beg an employee to rent him a room.

"Why are we here? What-what if they don't-don't give me a ro-room?" The teen stuttered with chattering teeth.

Yami's hands laid tight on the teen's shoulders for stability, matching his gaze with perfection. "Yugi, everything is going to be alright. Please, be strong for me, Aibou. Take a deep breath. I am by your side. I promise to not leave you. I promise to tell you all. Please, Aibou. You must do this."

Yugi took in a deep breath in attempt to calm down. After a few moments of closing his eyes and imagining his happy place, he sighed and nodded his head as a vote of confidence. Yami smirked at the teen's compliance, and lead the boy into the motel.

"Welcome, how can I help you?" A middle aged man greeted as he heard the sound of the door open, his back turned to Yugi as he was attempting to clean off some shelves.

"Uhh….hi," Yugi stammered with undying nerves. The man swung around to greet his customer face to face, however, his smile faded rather fast into a surprised expression. He raised his hand to scratch his head in confusion.

"Hello?" The elder patted down his purple dress shirt, leaning against the counter and mindlessly tapping the wood. "Where are your parents, my boy?"

Yugi's eyebrows furrowed in aggravation. Sure, he was only 16, but he wasn't that young! In a couple of years they wouldn't be asking such offensive questions. Unfortunately, his frustration died down fast at the realization that there was little to no chance he would be getting a room that night.

"My parents aren't here! I'm not ten you know!" He argued.

The serviceman grinned slightly, peering past the boy towards the door to see if he was truly alone. "I see," he cooed. "Well, in that case, how can I help you?"

Now Yugi was simply confused, but shook it off with confidence. "I want to rent a room. How much would it cost?"

A chuckle erupted from the worker. "So you _do_ want a room? Very well. ID please."

Yugi's face flushed instantly at the blunt confrontation. He turned to look to Yami for support, but he wasn't beside him. Shit.

The employee rolled his eyes in amusement at the sight of Yugi freaking out. It was obvious that the boy was too young to rent a room. What was he thinking?

"I'm sorry, but if you don't have identification to prove that you are at least 18 years of age, I cannot permit you access." The sly grin on the worker's face edged off to confusion as the boy in front of him dropped his head, hiding his expression. Yugi stood still, head low and fists clenched by his side. A few moments of silence passed with nothing happening. "Hey kid, are you alright? No hard feelings, you know?"

Within seconds, a freezing breeze circulated the room causing the man to shiver uncontrollably. Darkness invaded their enclosed area, resulting in a dull flickering of the lights.

"What the hell?" The man quickly cocked his head around the room in fright. The wind swooshed aggressively outside, causing branches to tap politely on the glass of the window. After a minute, he refocused his attention on the boy before him. Yugi was still and composed, chuckling slightly at the reaction of the worker. His face still pointed towards the ground as his golden bangs covered his eyes.

"Hey! What the hell is going on?!"

Yugi gradually raised his head in a teasing manner, more than satisfied with the gasps released from the employee. An uncomfortable silence marinated between the two of them. After a few moments, the motel worker decided that this child could not possibly be a threat to him. He chuckled nervously and dusted off his shoulders. "I'm not scared of you, kid. I suggest you leave my motel before I escort you out."

A sly grin worked its way onto the boy's face, later matched with a sinister giggle. His posture was so grand that the powerful vibes he exhibited were intimidating enough. The teen's eyes flickered open, revealing that same fiery gaze that bore daggers back at the worker's expression. The only sounds permeating the room consisted of heavy winds and chattering teeth.

"Tsk tsk tsk," Yugi waved a finger tauntingly in the air, sucking his teeth all the while. "That's no way to talk to someone who holds your very sanity in their hands."

The man subconsciously took a few steps back in fear. "What are you talking about?!" he demanded. He couldn't help but wonder what happened to that shy boy whom entered his shop. His whole aura had changed drastically in the matter of minutes! How could that be possible?

"You will rent me a room," Yugi stated as a fact.

"It's illegal for me to do so. I can't do that. You're better off leaving."

"Oh, my sincerest apologies," Yugi grinned widely. "I don't think you understood my use of grammar. There was no question about it. You _will_ rent me a room, that's all there is to it."

"What makes you so sure?"

Yugi laughed instantly as a response. It was rather amusing for him to experience such a sassy person to worth with. It would be of no difficulty.

"Let's just say I have an inkling about it. Perhaps we can make a deal."

"A deal? What are you talking about, kid?"

"Well, I would like to make it clear to you that I will be getting that room one way or another. There are one of two things that I could offer you." Yugi smirked as he strutted closer to the counter. "You both skip this charade with me and allow me to rent this room for whatever fee you desire."

The employee widened his eyes in both fear and interest at what the teen before him was explaining.

"Or, you play a game with me. If I win, I get the room for free. If you win, I will walk out of this motel and never return."

"A…a game?" He reassured. The first thoughts running through his mind were of denial. Why should he fall into this child's trap? But on the other hand, this was the most interesting thing that happened to him all day. Why not humor the guy? What's the worst that could happen? Besides, he was just a child! There was no way he could beat him at a game. "You're on. Which game?"

Yugi giggled some more, satisfied with the man's answer. "Not any game you've heard of, I can guarantee." Yugi sauntered behind the counter, peering through the shelves in search for a particular item. "Perfect," he hummed to himself. He grabbed a roll of duct tape and laid it on the counter. "The rules are simple," he mumbled under his breath. "The two of us will stand in the middle of this room in the dark," he began while unraveling the tape. "Our hands will be bound together with this substance. The two of us will spin ten times, blindfolded. When the spinning is over, we must be able to free our hands from the tape and turn on the light before the other person gets the chance. Understand?"

The worker snickered. "Easy, I've worked here for five years! I know this place better than you."

"I'm glad you think so."

So the two prepared. Yugi turned off the light and then helped the man tape his wrists up as he offered the same assistance. They threw a couple of motel towels over their heads.

"I'm ready when you are," the worker snorted.

"As am I. There is just one last thing I ought to tell you."

"What's that?"

"Cheaters will face a penalty game."

"What do you mean?"

"Don't cheat, and you will be lucky enough to not find out." He smiled to himself. "Game start."

The spinning was the easy part. Matter a fact, it was rather fun. The dizziness caught up to the worker after 8 spins, but it was nothing he couldn't handle. As soon as he was able to hold his ground, he worked at attempting to peel off the tape. That…that was harder than he thought. Besides, his wrists were useless! How could his fingers pry off the tape if he couldn't move them? Shit! After a few moments, he came up with the brilliant idea of using some scissors that he always had on his desk. Unfortunately, even that plan had a flaw. He couldn't see! If he couldn't see and he couldn't feel for his surroundings, how could he get those scissors? How was the kid doing?

The man worked a while longer on playing it safe, but once he heard the sound of peeling tape come from his opponent, he freaked out by his lack of time.

 _If I could just edge the towel off my head and onto my hands, the kid would never know I wasn't blindfolded and I would be able to reach those scissors!_

At the sound of his own thoughts, he went for it. He edged the towel off his head and let it drop to his hands. He quickly looked around, though it was dark, he caught a good glimpse of the boy, still following his own rules, and removing that last layer of tape. The elder laughed.

"Is something funny, sir?" Yugi inquired from under the towel.

"Nothing at all, I'm just surprised by your intelligence. Perhaps I should just give you the room for being so smart."

"I wouldn't be against that."

"But on the other hand, I have a feeling I'm gunna kick your ass at your own game."

"Do you?"

"Oh, I do!" He spotted his scissors on the desk and edged toward them, able to manipulate his position and slice through the tape effortlessly.

But that's when things got bad. Once he freed his hands, he made an opening for the towel to slip from his arms and on to the floor.

"Shit," he muttered.

"What was that?"

Instances later, the light flickered on. The man quickly flung his head to see Yugi by the light switch, slowly removing his towel.

"That's a shame, you couldn't follow the rules. Personally I thought they were easy to understand."

"Fuck off, kid," he spat.

Yugi nodded his head in disappointment. He raised his arm in the air aggressively and pointed towards him. "Penalty game!"

It didn't take long after that. The employee ran towards the light switch and flicked it on a few times. "Hey, who turned off the lights?!"

"The lights are on. But the lights in your idiotic brain are not."

"HEY! TURN ON THE LIGHTS!"

Yugi watched in amusement as the man flicked the switch off and on, but could not see the difference. He groaned in displeasure, not being able to see and covering his eyes. His little melt down was childish, Yugi thought, as he walked around him, activated a key, and made his way outside to a room.

"One day you will see the light of day," he grinned before exiting the office room for the last time.

()()()()()()()()()()()())()()()()()()()

"Are you going to tell me why we're here now?" Yugi asked sweetly, cuddling a few pillows while laying on top of the bed.

Yami had been pacing for the last five minutes, trying to figure out where to start. He had promised to explain everything to Yugi, so he sighed and decided to finally keep his promise.

"I had a vision on the cliff," he began. "A rather unpleasant one, so it seems."

Yugi twiddled his thumbs playfully, attempting to keep his focus on Yami. "I know that much, Yami. You told me that like five times already. Dig a little deeper."

Yugi was right. Yami had been trying to delay the message for as long as he could. There was an inner dispute in his soul, and he wasn't sure which side would win. "I apologize, Aibou. It's…there's just no easy way for me to express what I saw."

"It doesn't have to be easy," Yugi sat up. "It just has to be honest."

 _Honest…yeah right._

"It involved your friends."

"My…my friends?"

"They were all together in someone's home. They were being informed of something…"

"What thing, Yami?" Yugi huffed in tiresome.

"Umm…well, that is up to debate…"

"Yamiiiii," the boy whined.

"I'm sorry, Aibou. This is making me uncomfortable."

"You promised to tell me!"

"Couldn't we play a game instead?"

"No…."

"It's been a while since we've played Duel Monsters…"

"YAMI! TELL ME!" The teen snapped.

Yami slumped his shoulders in defeat. Okay…alright. "Aibou…I…", he sat beside Yugi on the bed and grabbed his hand, gazing into his eyes. "They were told that I am, in fact, the one who has been hurting you."

Yugi's eyes glistened in wonder as the words spilled from Yami's lips. A quick shiver ran its way down his spine, making the tension in the room only grow thicker.

"Why…why would they say that?"

"I don't know," Yami cleared his throat. "In a way, they're right."

"Don't say that!" Yugi jumped. "How dare you say something like that?!"

"Yugi…this all started when I returned to you. If it weren't for me—"

"If it weren't for you, I'd have no friends to begin with!" Yugi defended, a few tears shedding from his eyes. "Don't forget that without you, Joey and Tristan would probably still be beating me after school!" The teen nuzzled himself against the Pharaoh's broad chest. "Without you, I am no one."

"Ssshh, Aibou." Atem ran his fingers through the younger's hair, untangling some strands along the way. Slowly he bent his head and placed a chaste kiss upon Yugi's forehead.

"Why are we really here, my other?"

The Pharaoh took in a deep breath, exhaling very carefully as he picked out the right words. "They think they know the answers, Yugi, but they are wrong! They were told something…and now they are looking for you at this very moment to try and convince you to do something. But you can't believe it! Please don't fall under their spell…"

The younger began shaking, pulling away slightly to look Yami in the eye. "What is this thing you speak of?"

"I want you to know it's not their fault. They are under the influence of a great evil and…"

"Tell me, Yami."

"Well…they were told that the only way to save you is…is…"

"You can do it, I believe in you!"

Yami pulled away, shifting his body away and dangling his legs off the side of the bed. In distress, he cupped his face into his hands and let out a desperate groan. Yugi placed a hand on his shoulder for comfort.

"Yami…?"

"Yugi…" he turned to face Yugi, his cheeks pink and heavy eyes… "It's for you to kill me."

()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()

"Spill it Ishizu!" Joey nagged.

"You said you were at the site where Yugi dueled the Pharaoh?" Tristan inquired.

"Correct. We found ancient hieroglyphic messages on some of the shattered walls at the site. The message we found was not unfamiliar. Marik and I studied this site as a child as part of our training. We never dwelled on it, however, for it was simply custom and we never thought we would be the ones to be accomplices to the Pharaoh's return to the afterlife."

"So it was simply a lesson for you?"

"Precisely."

"What's the message, Ishizu? We need to know if we want to help Yugi," Ryou interrupted.

Ishizu cleared her throat over the line preparing herself to reveal some answers. "The message was some type of a hidden prophecy," she began. "It was prophesized that the Pharaoh would return to earth in order to defeat a great evil. Once that prophecy was completed, another was made apparent."

Everyone listened intently, shaking slightly at the silence and tension between them all.

"The Pharaoh's return to the afterlife was too simple, don't you think?" She continued hesitantly. "Losing a card game? A duel? A simple loss of a game allowed him to re-enter peace and allow his presence to be forgotten? Unfortunately, things are never that easy."

"Whad are yah sayin', Ishizu? Stop beatin' round the bush! The suspense is already killin' me!"

"We knew that the Pharaoh had to lose a duel, at the time, we believed that was the only requirement. The message I found in the rubble clarified that there must be two of three steps to be completed in order for peace to be restored. One of those has been done, as we know. However, one more thing must be completed."

"Well?" Tea barged.

"The prophecy reveals that in order for the Pharaoh to pass on, he must be defeated by his host body in two comings. The first coming was the Duel Monsters duel, the second, however, is happening right now."

"What do you mean _defeat?_ " Tristan questioned.

"So that's how we caught Yugi speaking to Yami!" Ryou jumped. "Yami came back to fulfill the prophecy!"

"Exactly, Ryou. And to answer your question, Tristan, by defeat, I indeed mean spiritually destroy Yami."

"Wait a second!" Tea exclaimed. "How can Yugi defeat a spirit? Isn't that a little morbid?" She grew nervous with every passing second. She really liked Yami…destroying him couldn't be good.

"The prophecy does not state how the Pharaoh will be defeated a second time around, it just explains that it's necessary. In order for the host body to be completely stable on its own after the possession of the Pharaoh, it must prove worthy by defeating the Pharaoh twice."

"But…what happens if Yugi can't defeat Yami again?"

Ishizu sighed. "That's where things get rather…difficult."

"Ishizu!" Joey called out.

"If Yugi cannot defeat Yami, Yami will defeat Yugi. Two of three stages must be complete. The third stage, if the other two are not completed, is for a sacrifice of the host body. Someone must take the other's place. Either ways, there must be a death."

"Wait…so you're saying that the only purpose Yami is serving right now is to lull Yugi to his death?!"

"That is what I'm saying, yes."

"I'M GUNNA KILL THAT PHARAOH!" Joey shrieked, fists clenched and eyes narrowed.

"Joey, it's not Yami's fault. He has to do this. It's part of the prophecy. He doesn't have a choice."

"I'm sure the Pharaoh is conflicted right now," Tea wondered aloud.

"Indeed, Tea. This is something that must break his heart, but he cannot control it. If the gods want a sacrifice, they will get one. Either the host body, being Yugi, is sacrificed, or the Pharaoh is defeated and finally able to enter the afterlife."

"So Yami has been the one possessing him all along?" Tristan asked.

"Most likely. This allows him to turn away anyone who becomes suspicious of his presence…to turn people away from Yugi is to allow Yugi to fall into Yami's arms. Yami must create trust in order to defeat him. It's the only way."

"How do we save Yugi?" Tea bit her nails.

"Yugi must be aware of the truth. Right now he has a bias. You cannot physically save Yugi. He has to make the decision on his own. However, if you are able inform him of what I told you today, he has the opportunity to make the right decision."

"But what if Yami just takes over again?" Tristan pried. "What good will that do?"

"I am unsure of what will happen, Tristan. But where there's a will, there's a way. It must be possible if the choice was given to begin with."

"Thank you, Ishizu!" Ryou cooed. "We don't have much time, we better find Yugi! We will call you if we have any more questions."

"Please do. Take care, my friends."

"What the actual fuck?!" Joey cried out once they hung up.

"No time to debate it, we just gotta go," Ryou assured.

"You don't believe in all of dat, do you?" Joey turned to Tristan.

The brunette shrugged his shoulders while throwing on his leather jacket. "I don't have time to believe in it. I just have to accept it. If we don't, Yugi could be in huge trouble. I don't want to risk a thing."

And with that, the gang ran out of the doors…hoping and praying that things would fall into place.


	18. Babe I'm Gunna Leave You

"Seto! There's a funky looking man at the gates calling for you. He says he scheduled a meeting with the President of Kaiba Corps in regards to—"

"Lose him," Kaiba groaned, rolling back in his office chair just a smidge.

"Seto?"

"I said lose him, Mokuba!"

"Uh…alright. Are you okay, big brother?"

Kaiba tilted his head back in agony, closing his eyes in attempt to feel peace. "I'm fine. Just leave me alone."

"If you're sure…"

"Oh, I'm sure."

"Should I call a nurse to come check on you?"

Kaiba's blue eyes flickered open into an icy stare. His abrasive glare made Mokuba stumble as he backed slowly towards the door.

"I'm going to leave now. You know how to reach me if you need to," the boy stammered before jolting out of the office.

Kaiba closed his eyes once more, taking in a deep breath to help calm himself down. Ever since his dream the night before, he was trying to soothe a pounding headache and fluttering heartbeat. Thoughts raced through his mind faster than horses at the track. He was not accustomed to this overwhelming, unexplainable anxiety. There was nothing he wanted more than to take a nap.

His eyebrows arched at the thought of it. A nap wouldn't be so bad, would it? He was the president, he had all the power to just let his people hold the company for a few hours. A prodigy, perhaps, but he was only human. Money couldn't stop him from getting a cold. Taking a nap would indeed be in his favor.

Kaiba rolled over to his phone and called in a few sectaries and explained that he would be unreachable for two hours. Any disturbance would result in immediate expulsion. A smile emerged onto his face as he hung up, jumping to his feet and making his way to a guest room to sleep in. It hadn't taken long after that.

 _Distant chatter eased its way into Kaiba's subconscious mind. Moments after, his eyes flickered open, causing him to gasp in shock at the sight of woods all around him. He cocked his head around in curiosity, trying to pinpoint where exactly he was. The sound of conversation pulled him out of his stupor as he began to focus on the words filling the air. In attempt to find the source of conversation, he pushed back a few branches and began walking._

 _"_ _I'm so dreadfully sorry. I only wish there was another way."_

 _Kaiba raised his eyebrows as the words became clearer with each step he took._

 _"_ _I love you dearly. I want to be with you forever. This is the only way."_

 _What was this deep, mysterious voice referring to? Kaiba picked up his pace as his wonder grew stronger._

 _"_ _I…I don't want to do this. Please…there must be another way!" It was a much softer voice that caused Kaiba to gasp. He hadn't recognized it before, but this voice was definitely familiar._

 _"_ _I'm sorry, my love. If you want to be free, you must go to these lengths. I'm here for you. I promise that everything will be okay."_

 _Kaiba quickened his pace as he spotted a clearing ahead. A few stumbles slowed him down, but he pushed his way to the top. "Wait," he muttered to himself._

 _"_ _If you say so," the lighter voice pouted._

 _"_ _Now, my loved one."_

 _Kaiba smacked a branch out of his way as he finally reached the top of the forest filled cliff. He panted heavily as he flung his head around to envision the source of conversation. When he spotted it, his jaw dropped in shock._

 _"_ _YUGI! NO!"_

 _So many thoughts ran through his head at that very moment. Kaiba wasn't the first guy in town to say anything nice about Yugi Mutou-that was for sure. He was an impressive duelist, but not nearly skilled as himself. He won because of luck, obviously, and that was not a good enough reason for the young billionaire. Yugi's childish morals and destiny speeches drew the President up the wall in annoyance. Everything about the kid was overdramatic and immature…and perhaps he has insulted him and his friends one too many times…_

 _But he would never wish him dead. And if he didn't do something that very moment, that's what Yugi was going to be._

 _Yugi Mutou was leaning over the edge of the cliff, staring peacefully into the ocean. There was no one besides him. Everything was peacefully quiet…_

 _Except for Kaiba's screams that Yugi just couldn't seem to hear._

 _Yugi was alone. He took in one last deep breath, closed his eyes and clenched his fists. No one was near him, or so he thought. His last words…_

 _"_ _I love you." He leaned over just a little more, and in the midst of it all, let his body fall over the edge._

 _"_ _NOOOOO!" Kaiba shrieked at the top of his lungs as he watched Yugi slip right over. His sobs grew louder by the seconds, tears washing over his eyes so quickly that his entire vision was blurred. He was too late. His legs collapsed under him as he hid his face in the palm of his hands._

 _"_ _YUGI!"He screamed out into the sky in complete misery. He grabbed his chest and began shaking uncontrollably, weeping all the while. "Why?" He cried. "Why?"_

"Seto! Seto wake up! Seto!"

Kaiba quickly flung up in his bed, panting heavily at his loss of breath. He searched around the room with his eyes, realizing it was just him, Mokuba, and a nurse.

"Seto! Are you okay?" Mokuba asked with worried eyes.

"I'm fine," Kaiba muttered.

"You're not fine! The nurse says you're running a fever. Look, you're sweating bullets!"

"No, I just had a discomforting dream," he argued.

"You had a nightmare?" Mokuba questioned.

"No, a discomforting dream," Kaiba corrected.

"Something bad must have happened! What was it?"

Kaiba pulled his legs over the side of the bed, brushing off his shirt. "I cried."

Mokuba giggled quietly. "For you, that is quite odd."

Without a second glance, Kaiba strutted towards the door and out to his office. He rolled his eyes at the realization that the dream was far too realistic to ignore. There was something he had to do, no matter how foolish it may have seemed.

He had to find Yugi.

()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()

"What the fuck is goin' on?" Joey spat through his teeth.

"I don't know, but I'm worried! We couldn't reach him last night, and now he isn't at school! You don't think he's…that he's…"

"Don't worry, Tea," Ryou interrupted. "He's alive…somewhere."

"We shouldn't be here! We need to get out of this prison and find Yugi! His life depends on it!" Tristan jumped in.

Class had begun an hour ago, and their teacher left to go use the bathroom. Yugi's absence scared them shitless, causing a commotion among the gang.

"But how do we just leave? I was kinda banking on having Yugi show up to class. We can't just get up and leave!"

Seconds later, Mr. Bostock sauntered back into the room with a piece of paper in his hand. He cleared his throat and read it off. "Tristan, Tea, Ryou and Joey… you're being dismissed."

They exchanged glances. "We are?!"

"Yeah, yeah. Just go. Don't forget to work on your essays!"

The gang gathered their belongings and scattered towards the front exit. Their jaws dropped in shock when they saw who awaited them.

"Kaiba?! They all shouted in unison.

The billionaire was leaned up against his limo with a serious expression. "Where's Yugi?"

"Why do yah wanna know?!" Joey jumped out from his gang in a fighting stance. Kaiba merely smirked at his behavior.

"I called you four and Yugi for dismissal. Why is he not with you?"

"He didn't show up to school today," Tea revealed. "Why do you care?"

Kaiba straightened out at Tea's response. He glared at the rest of the gang. "I couldn't reach him last night when I called his home. His grandpa told me that he was sleeping over Joey's house and wouldn't be home until late tonight." He studied the worried expressions on everyone's face. "I decided to be patient and reach out to you guys today. I see I made a mistake."

"A mistake?" Ryou caught the word.

"Correct. Something is not right with that one. I should have made a better attempt of reaching him last night."

"What do yah know?" Joey spat.

"Enough." Kaiba stood back and opened the backseat door of his limo. "Get in fools."

"So, where exactly _are_ we going?" Tristan asked curiously. They had been driving around for ten minutes but seemed to get nowhere.

"Yeh, and why'd yah bring us?" Joey added on impatiently.

Kaiba rolled his eyes at their immature behavior and turned his head to gaze out the window. "I had a dream yesterday."

"Ooooh, dat doesn't happen very often, does it?" Joey snickered.

"Quiet, mutt!" Kaiba hissed in annoyance.

"CALL ME DAT ONE MORE TIME I DARE YAH!"

"Whoa, calm down boy!" Tristan chuckled while pulling Joey back into his seat.

"Yeah, good boy," Kaiba smirked in amusement.

"I think what Joey wants to know is, why do you all of the sudden need us, Kaiba? You've never been fond of our help before. Isn't it reasonable to wonder why you care now?" Ryou questioned politely.

"Don't start boasting amongst yourselves," the billionaire warned. "I _don't_ need you. I figured that I knew something that you don't. Yugi has done…ahem, a lot for me. It's logical to return the favor."

"Awww!" Tea cooed sweetly. "You care about Yugi!"

"I do not care about Yugi!" Kaiba defended harshly, causing the gang to sit back and exchange glances. The billionaire took in a deep breath and ran his fingers through his hair. "I just don't want him to die. He's not allowed to go anywhere until I beat him in a fair duel."

"Sure," Tea winked to Ryou, chuckling all the while.

"We're on the edge of the city," Tristan pointed out as he could see the ocean beyond a few buildings. "Why are we here?"

"The dreams I've been having lead me to believe that Yugi is somewhere on top of a cliff that overlooks the sea," Kaiba mumbled. "It'll take some scouting, but hopefully we will find him."

Joey chuckled sarcastically at his remark. "Nothing leads me to believe that you know a damn thing about Yugi and his situation. Why'd yah bring us here?"

"Exactly that," Kaiba locked his stare with Joey's. "I need you losers to tell me everything you know."

"I'm not tellin' you nothin'!" Joey spat tauntingly.

"Joey…" Tea pouted. "He got us out of school and was the reason for Ishizu's epiphany. We do owe him a back story."

Kaiba jolted up in his seat. "Ishizu told you I called her?!"

"Aw look whose da mutt now? Nah, yer a lil kitty kat. Did yah have a scary nightmare, Koiba? Did the little scaredy cat call Ishizu?"

Kaiba growled unintentionally, getting ready to confront Joey physically for his taunt, but was halted by Ryou's restraint.

"Driving around won't help us. Should we get out and start looking? I'll try calling him. We have to do whatever we can! When we're all out there, we can tell you what we know."

Kaiba sighed, making a weird signal with his hand as a motion to stop the limo. Once they stilled, the president took a deep breath and opened the door to leave. "Just keep your pup on a leash."

()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()

 _Earlier that day…_

"Good morning, beautiful."

Yugi smiled sweetly before opening his eyes, taking a minute to dwell in the mere perfection of the moment. He yawned and stretched, pleased that the first thing he saw was Yami besides him.

"Good morning," Yugi greeted with a charming grin. "How long have you been awake?"

Yami simply chuckled at the gesture. "I don't sleep, I don't have a body that requires it."

"Oh. Did you just lay there all night? I'm sorry…"

"I'm not," Yami winked. "I got to love and hold the most precious thing to me. I wish I never had to let go."

Yugi blushed while batting his eyelashes. His Yami was so sweet and wonderful…what a blessing for him to share his company.

"Matter a fact, I'm not going to."

"Not going to what-?"

Yami laughed before tackling his Aibou back onto the bed, nuzzling his nose on the tip of Yugi's skin and embracing him in a deep hug. Atem couldn't hold back a blush of his own while his love made the cutest sounds of pleasure beneath him.

"Yaaaaaamiiii," Yugi pouted innocently.

"Mmm….what is it?" Atem giggled softly, rubbing Yugi's shoulders with his hands.

"Get off me silly."

"Do I have to?"

"I'm going to be late for school!"

Yami's face turned stoic at those words as he straightened his back and pulled away. He nodded his head in denial. "You're not going to school today," he stated simply. "It's too dangerous."

"Dangerous?" Yugi shot back, sitting up as well. Silence filled the room as the two guys tried to recall all of their motives for being in the motel to begin with. Steadily Yugi groaned in defeat. "Oh…yeah."

"I don't know what to do," Yami sighed while peering out towards the window. "Maybe they should let you kill me."

Yami had never seen Yugi grow so frustrated in such little time. His face flushed red as he scrunched up all of his features and dropped to the ground in complete anger.

"How dare you even say something like that!" He seethed. "I would never dream of killing you! Not in a million years! Not for anyone!"

 _Not even for yourself?_ He wanted to say those words so desperately, but he couldn't. It wasn't in his nature to.

Yami wanted to lay in peace all day. There was nothing he desired more than to whip up some of those pancakes that he had grown to love for him and his Aibou. Watching movies all day, playing duel monsters and cuddling in each other's arms… that would be the ideal day. Unfortunately, he was already on this earth longer than he was supposed to be. If he didn't act soon, both of their souls would be destroyed by the gods. One of them had to go. He only prayed that his light was smart enough to figure it out.

Yugi stared intently at the sudden depressive mood of the Pharaoh. He knew something that Yugi didn't. "Yami?"

"Yes?" He answered softly, not even lifting his head to make eye contact.

"You know something that I don't."

Yami didn't fight it. He nodded his head in agreement. "You're right, Aibou."

Yugi sauntered besides him and took a seat, reaching his hand out to grab his others. "Aren't you going to tell me?"

Yami bowed his head even lower. "Yes…just, not here."

"Where?"

Finally Atem raised his head to stare into the mystifying eyes of his lover. He forced a smile through the pain, studying ever beautiful feature on his lover's face. "At the cliff," he finally stated. "Let's go back to the cliff."

()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()

"This place gets more beautiful every time I come here," Yugi cooed with wide, happy eyes. He jumped a few rocks and giggled at the childish fun he was entertaining himself with. "Don't you think, Yami?"

Atem winced at the apparent joy that his Aibou was radiating. He felt physically ill…and he didn't even have a body to feel ill with.

"It's just so peaceful here!" Yugi continued on, sliding besides Yami on a rock. "So natural and organic…so relaxing. I could stay here forever."

 _That's the plan…_

Yami hated himself a little more by the second. He was supposed to protect Yugi with all of his life. He was supposed to support him…love him…be there for him. Why had the gods damned him to this? The worst part was there was nothing that he could do. It was the only way. Going against the prophecy by trying to warn Yugi or his friends would fall in a broken prophecy, and the payment for that is the destruction of both of their souls. If Yugi dies physically, his soul would be spared! They would be able to be together. If Yugi killed him, his spirit would be saved by the gods as payment for fulfilling the prophecy and would be granted access to the afterlife. Either of those would be better than the utter destruction of their souls. It was the only thing stopping him from spilling the beans.

Yugi's friends knew the truth now. He would hold on to that with as much heart as he could. Maybe, just maybe they would be able to warn Yugi before it was too late. Besides, getting Yugi to trust him was too easy. The gods told him that Yugi would have a fair chance. He deserved one. It wasn't his idea, but Yami felt like he deserved to die for this anyways.

"Yami? What are you thinking about?"

"Nothing."

"Well, maybe you can tell me about that thing now? That's why we're here, right?"

Yami reached out to grab Yugi's hands and gripped them as tight as he possibly could. Oh, how the Pharaoh wanted to cry. Emotions raged through him faster by the moment…and flashbacks of times that were.

Yugi caught instantly how distressed his darkness was. Oh no…it must be something terrible. "Yami?"

The Pharaoh jumped to his feet and began pacing with worry. "Yugi…I learned some horrible news last night while you were asleep."

 _Come on, Yugi!_

"What- what was it?" Yugi stammered.

Yami raised a fist to his chin just to keep it in place, closing his eyes to block out the pain all the while.

"I—I had a vision while you were asleep, one from the gods. I…I learned the answers."

"The answers to what?"

"There's only one way to stop the darkness that surrounds you."

 _It's by killing me, Yugi. I'm the darkness hurting you. Please…figure that out._

"What is it? Come on, you can tell me!"

Yami groaned at the sight of his innocent Aibou. His warm, loving eyes glistening with tears…everything about him is perfect. Fuck!

"I regret every word that I'm about to say," Atem choked up.

"Tell me, Yami!"

This was it. "There is no way to save you, Yugi. This darkness is only going to get worse. It will possess you continuously until there is nothing left," he sniffled. "Your physical body will become a vessel for evil. It will take you, and then consume your soul."

 _Don't listen to my lies, Yugi! For fucks sake, don't listen to me!_

But Yami knew that he would. He was fucking weeping as he spoke, and it was so painful to say that it sounded entirely true. Within seconds, Yugi collapsed in tears as well.

Atem grabbed his Aibou, massaging his back for comfort.

"What…what do I do?" He finally asked.

"The only way to prevent this is to physically destroy your body. This will preserve your soul. You will be able to attend the afterlife."

"What?!"

"Last night it became apparent that this was the real reason why I was able to return. To warn you of your fate. Your flesh is too desirable for the shadows. If you continue to live, the evil will destroy your soul. I…I can't have that."

"Destroy my soul?!" Yugi wept louder. "You're…you're saying?"

Yami pulled away, throwing a fist to the ground in anger and letting himself fall to his emotions. "I'm saying you need to commit suicide!" He groaned in utter anger. "Killing your body before the demons takeover is the only way to save your soul!" His voice was ragged and painful. Yugi had never seen the Pharaoh so vulnerable to agony.

The king of Games shook in complete fear, not knowing how to respond. He knew that evil spirits were taking over him as they pleased. He could feel it stronger each day. Though he hadn't expected that the only answer was to kill himself.

"There's got to be another way…" Yugi whimpered, slowly approaching his darkness.

"There isn't," Yami spat, not being able to face his light. "Doesn't it make sense now? The reason that I'm here? If this were something you could solve on your own I wouldn't have been called back. That's why you were so stressed before I could return to you. They weren't cries of loneliness…they were cries of vulnerability. Evil was controlling you before you even knew it."

Yugi bowed his head in shame. So he wasn't just lonely and depressed? He was being influenced by surrounding evil all along? This was the price he had to pay.

"I'm desirable to the spirits, aren't I? From hosting you…I bet they're all dying to get their hands on me!" Yugi growled in anger.

"I'm sorry, Yugi," Yami apologized.

"I hurt all my friends and have pained my grandpa and…there's no reason for me to exist anymore, is there? What good is life without you, anyhow?"

 _Fight me, Yugi! You are beautiful! You deserve all of the wonderful things in life and nothing less. You deserve a long, lasting life…one that I could never have! With friends and family who care about you…so desperately. They want you to live! They need you just as much as you need them! You have talent, charisma, and love in your heart. Fight me! Fight for your life! Fight for yourself!_

"If you let your body fall," Yami cringed at his words. "We could be together immediately. We could both enter the afterlife together."

Yugi perked up slightly, debating the concept. No…there was nothing to debate. He heard what he had to hear. Yami told him that he had to die, or else his soul would be destroyed. A ruined soul means no afterlife with his darkness….he had to die.

"I'll do it…" Yugi winced.

Atem raised his eyebrows. "You will? You trust me, Aibou?"

"I trust you."

 _You shouldn't. Trust yourself. Trust the rational that it is fucked up that someone who claims to love you wants you to destroy your beautiful body. I don't want that…_

Yami grabbed Yugi's hand tightly, leading him slowly to the edge of the cliff. "I can't wait to be with you in eternity."

Yugi forced a smile. "This world isn't the same without you."

"Yugi…have you ever wanted to fly?" Atem gulped resentfully.

"It's on my bucket list."

"How about today? Would you like to fly today?"

The king of games shuddered as he caught a glimpse of the deadly fall that Yami was hinting to.

"I promise it will be quick. You get to fly, and then instantly be paired with me. Doesn't that sound wonderful?"

Yugi closed his eyes in complete fear. "Yes."

Yami and Yugi held each other tightly, soothing each other's broken cries. The Pharaoh let him soak up the silence between them. He knew it would be his last few minutes of life. He deserved some time to digest it.

"I'm so dreadfully sorry. I wish there was another way."

The teen nodded his head in acceptance, closing his eyes and taking in a deep breath of all the salty sea air. Feeling the wind on his face had never felt so precious.

"I love you dearly. I want to be with you forever," Yami moaned into his ear. "This is the only way."

The teen's eyes flickered open in shock. He began shaking uncontrollably as he chattered his teeth. "I- I don't want to do this! Please, there must be another way!"

Yami shushed him soothingly, rubbing circles in his back all the while. "I'm sorry my love. If you want to be free, you must go to these lengths. I'm here for you, I promise everything will be okay."

"If you say so…"

"Now, my loved one."

Yugi shook of the last of his fears. He was going to do this. It might hurt for a second, but his soul would be preserved. It would be okay. Yami and he could build their lives together past death. It was going to be fine. He would miss his friends and grandpa of course, but they would understand. It was either this, or a destroyed soul. Which would you choose?

He positioned himself, ready to jump off. Thankfully he wasn't doing this alone. Nope, he was with his beautiful Yami. "I love you…"


	19. Your Time is Gunna Come

A heavy silence churned in the air, swirling up an intense thick atmosphere that radiated bad vibes. Yugi tossed and turned in the midst of it, groaning as his eyes slowly flickered open. A sleepy yawn overcame him as he took a few moments to adjust to his surroundings. It didn't take long before his limp body began to squirm, causing him to sit up and fling his head around for answers.

"What just…? Where am I?" He mumbled to himself as the setting became apparent. Oddly enough, he was surrounded by comfort. Childhood toys were scattered amongst a baby blue room. Carefully he stood up and investigated what he was familiarized with, smiling as he came across an antique chest board and a few video games on his desk.

"My soul room!" He clarified aloud, if simply to just reassure himself. A tiny smile danced on his face, for he hadn't physically been in his soul room since Yami was helping him to save the world. Yugi nodded with ease as he noticed everything being exactly where he had left it. A couple of dirty socks laid on the floor, some doodles on the wall that he sketched with a marker when he was waiting for Yami to switch places. It was nostalgic and all too welcoming.

Yugi sighed while jumping onto his bed to lay in. The comfort of his room had seemed to erase all of his troubles or past thoughts. In a way, it was a marker that Yami was back in his life.

Yami.

Yami?

Yami!

In that abrupt instant, Yugi jolted up in shock to come face to face with a certain thing that he honestly had never thought he would see again. Jumping to his feet, he ran over to his bureau and carefully studied his most prized possession. Opening it, he gasped slightly before slowly removing the millennium puzzle from its box. Yugi had never had more questions run though his mind in such a short amount of time.

What had lead him to his soul room? Only the millennium puzzle could transport him here, and hadn't it been destroyed? What happened seconds before he woke up?...Oh no… had he died? Did he really commit suicide? How did he end up in here?

In frustration, he ran up to the door that was supposed to lead him into the hall way that he shared with Yami. He needed to find that Pharaoh! With haste, he pulled at the knob and attempted to open it.

Nothing.

He tried a few more times. This was odd, the door was never locked from the inside before. Something was wrong…terribly wrong.

"Yami!" He pounded harshly against the exit. "YAMI! ARE YOU OUT THERE?!" His adrenaline was beginning to turn into sorrow as his request was denied. What was happening? Why was he in here? If he was dead, didn't Yami promise them they were going to the afterlife together? He did this for him, after all.

"Yami!" His screams turned into weeps as his fists turned raw at the insistent banging. "ATEM! OPEN THIS DOOR!" Anger became apparent from the simple changing of names. Red cheeks and washed up eyes took over the little light's face, leaving him in complete hysterics as his body slid to the ground. "Please…please open the door!"

()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()

"YUGI! NOOO!"

 _Shit shit shit shit shit, not again,_ Yami inwardly cussed at the sound of Yugi's friends sprinting towards him. _Of course they had to find him! Great,_ he remarked sarcastically. _Oh what am I saying, I'm glad they did. That must have been the prophecy talking. No matter, I still have to give it my all or else Yugi and I will be paying the price for eternity._

One thing Yami knew for sure was that he couldn't just hover by the sidelines as he watched this confrontation go down. The only remaining option was to take over Yugi once again.

And so he did. He pushed Yugi's conscious deep into his soul room, making sure to lock the door seeing as he might actually wake up this time before Yami could switch back.

In a way, this was a very good thing. The Pharaoh hadn't planned on Yugi's friends showing up to save the day. That meant his escape would be difficult, allowing time for Yugi to become aware of his soul room and question everything that was happening. He would hate Yami forever, but at least he would know the truth. Yugi was too young to die, and definitely didn't deserve it for simply the sake of Yami returning to the afterlife. He had done too much for him already.

The only bit of bad news was that if Yugi were to succeed, Yami would need to die…again. He wasn't looking forward to it, but he definitely preferred it to his little Aibou.

The Pharaoh shuddered as he fixed into Yugi's body, swaying around a bit to ensure the fact he was in a physical presence. After a quick shrug, he backed away from the cliff and turned to face "his friends." Yugi had to be the one to allow his own death, unfortunately. It would have been easier for the both of them if Yami was able to bare the pain of Yugi's death and fulfill the prophecy on his own.

"Well, well, look who found me? Is it my turn, then? Shall I count to ten and search for you now?"

Yami took in a deep look at the people before him, smirking as he noticed that Kaiba had snickered at his little joke. Why the fuck was that jag off even there anyways?

"Kaiba, I'm trying so hard to come up with reasons for your being here, but not a single one has become apparent to me. Can I phone a friend?"

Oh man, this job was too fun. Yami couldn't stop laughing at his own jokes. It made sense to him now why all evil villains he ever saw from movies he watched with Yugi were so sadistic and humorous. If you're going to fuck up the day, might as well have a little fun with it.

"Cut the crap, Yugi!" Kaiba hissed from a far, his face scrunching up all the while.

"That's not Yugi, Kaiba," Tea whispered in fear.

Another chuckle escaped Yami's mouth. "Oh wow, how perceptive, Tea! What gave it away?"

Fear. Panic. Anxiety. If Yami could frighten his was passed this gang, he would be able to run away for a little while longer and come up with a sorry ass excuse for Yugi. That would give him another chance? Not like he really wanted one, but he had to try. The gang had the upper hand here, Yami was cornered! As long as he kept his cool and acted like this was all part of his plan, he could make a run for it.

"DATS ENOUGH!" Joey pushed his way to the front, anger seeping from his honey brown eyes. "WHAT HAVE YAH DONE WITH MY LIL BUDDY?!"

Hmm…Joey was livid! Atem was impressed; he had always liked Joey the most. He was the type of guy that Yugi would need once he was gone.

"I haven't done anything with him. Oh come on, Joey! You know me!" Yami took a few steps closer to the blonde, circling him like a vulture. "We go way back. Things are no different now than they were."

"Oh yes they are!" Tristan joined in with a defensive stance. "We know the truth, Pharaoh. We won't allow you to hurt Yugi!"

"I'm aware that you lot know the truth," Yami acknowledged stoically. "If I wasn't, I wouldn't be dancing around with you. You'd already be dead."

Now that wasn't true, but of course, he had to make it sound sadistic. "I'm willing to make an offer with you. A little deal…perhaps even suggest a little game. If you're keen on it, of course."

"Oh Pharaoh!" Tea broke down in tears, nearly trying to jump on Yugi's body until the rest of the gang stopped her. "Please don't do this! You love Yugi! You would do anything for him! Please…he's too young to die!"

Yami sneered at her little spiel…mostly because it was entirely true. He wished he was able to shed light on the situation, but that would mean eternal doom.

Her sobs grew louder, but she fought through them. "We love you too, Pharaoh. I don't know why this has to happen. None of us do! We only know the logistics, but it's not enough to explain why it's so tragic. There's got to be another way!"

"Enough!" Kaiba spat through his teeth, furiously staring at the dancer. "Kissing his sorry ass will have no effect on this piece of garbage!"

"Ooh, did you have to be so rough?" Yami cooed sarcastically.

"Atem," Joey huffed, making his presence known. Yami raised an eyebrow at his call. "Dat is yer name, right?" The blonde continued. He didn't wait for a response. "Da name dat we helped yah remember? Da memories we were able to resurface? Da name that slaughtered Zorc and sent him straight back to hell? We went to da ends of the earth for yah." Joey shivered as he lowkey poured out his heart. "And now yer gunna wipe out da one who did the most for yah? That doesn't sound right. I know it's some stupid prophecy, we heard about dat. But please, don't do this. There's gotta be another way."

Okay….alright. That hit a nerve within the Pharaoh's soul. Joey was one of his greatest friends when he shared Yugi's body. The others didn't know too much about their relationship, but sometimes they would go out for a bite to eat and talk for hours…just the two of them. It was…too wonderful.

 _"_ _Yo Pharaoh, don't yah wanna order a burger or somethin'?"_

 _Yami smiled politely. "Yugi ate before I left. It would be unwise if I were to overfeed his body."_

 _"_ _So considerate," Joey chuckled before gulping some of his soda. "But I do it to myself all da time."_

 _Yami merely giggled at the notion._

 _"_ _Yah know, I still can't get over this whole little swap thing you guys do. It's crazy shit! Kinda cute in a way. Like, did Yug have tah give yah permission to go hang out with me or somethin'?"_

 _"_ _He encouraged me to spend the afternoon with you. If cute is what you want to call it, then I suppose it's fitting."_

 _"_ _For sure!" Joey grinned. "I think it's nice that he's givin' yah a chance to be out in da world. It can be a pretty beautiful place."_

 _Yami nodded with a knowing gaze. "Yugi knows that I scarified myself fairly young to lock Zorc away. He acts as if it's his duty to give me a chance to have a real life. Though he is entirely too parental. He shouldn't worry about me at all."_

 _"_ _Yugi not worrying about yah? HAH! Even I worry about yah, man."_

 _Yami's eyes widened at the very words. "You do?"_

 _"_ _Of course! Poor guy like you, locked up in an artifact for 5 millennia! Geeeez! I can barely stay in a room with Tristan for five minutes without itching to get out!"_

 _"_ _It was my sworn duty as Pharaoh to protect my people. I did what any king would do."_

 _"_ _Perhaps, but yah never had any time to do what you wanted to do."_

 _A shrug came off the royal. "I suppose you're right."_

 _"_ _And dats why yer here with me today! To have some fun! To do some shit! Let's forget this whole 'sworn duty' bull before the next world threat occurs, am I right? Let's have some fun! Besides, we gotta get you back to Yug before dinner!" he winked._

 _"_ _Thank you, Joey. You're a true friend. I hope that in the case that I ever must leave, you will be the one to watch over Yugi. He needs someone like you in his life."_

 _"_ _Without question, my liege!" He bowed cheekily. "Now enough of this sap, let's have some fun!"_

"There's not another way, Joey!" Atem finally groaned after his little reminisce. "This is, indeed, the only way! Now, will you accept my offer of a game?"

"Stop right there!" Ryou finally spoke up.

"Oh great, now a word from the shrimp! Everyone listen up! The Brit wants to speak!" Yami announced playfully.

"I've had enough!" Ryou seethed. "I thought you were different! After all this time, I was envious of Yugi because he had someone like you!" His cream cheeks flushed red with anger in mere seconds. "But you are no different than the snake who overtook me."

Silence. Leave it to the pipsqueak to come up with the most insulting jab of them all. Atem nearly growled in rage, shaking with fury at that disgusting comparison.

"How _dare_ you compare me to that cockroach!" This was more than just an insult. It was an attack on his relationship with Yugi even before this fucking prophecy had to interrupt everything. _That_ was _not_ acceptable. "Bakura was nothing more than a jack ass, no good, filthy, repulsive cheat!"

Oh, there was going to be a duel. Not a duel monsters duel, but rather a duel between words…maybe even fists. Ryou jumped up in frustration.

"Bakura was only so sadistic because the royal family took everything he ever knew away from him! _Your_ family! Yes, he did wrong on many, many levels, but he had a reason! What's yours?!"

"YOU KNOW MY FUCKING REASON!" Yami shouted, his voice getting rougher by the word. "Do I need to fucking spell it out for you?! Fuck it! Fuck all of you! You will never understand!" Atem pushed them all out of his was as he began making his way towards the woods. He used some of his shadow magic to blur their visions and cause them to struggle, allowing him a little time to escape.

"GET BACK HERE WITH YUGI'S BODY!" Joey screamed as he scrambled to his feet.

"YUGI!" Kaiba shrieked in distressed.

Yami halted for a second. "Oh, and Kaiba? Go fuck yourself!"

()()()()()()())()()()()()()()()()()

Yami sprinted. He was unsure of where he was going, but if you don't know where you're heading, than any road will take you there. Endless thoughts raced through his head, faster than Yugi's little legs could carry him. A plan was needed. Something to fend off the suspicion for just a little while longer.

An agonizing cry pulled at his heart. Yami cringed at the realization that Yugi was indeed calling out to him in worry, for he wasn't sure if he was even dead or alive. Yami never told him about the return on the millennium puzzle.

One thing hadn't changed when the Pharaoh was sent back to earth to fulfill the prophecy, and that was the necessity of the puzzle to bond the spirits. He avoided telling his light about this detail in worry that it would hint at some sort of extra destiny he would need to achieve. It would also give him insight that he had the ability to swap places with him again, and that would be a crucial clue that it was Yami possessing him all along.

After 10 more minutes of boundless running, Yami finally needed to pull over for a rest stop. The distressed sobs tugging at him from his Aibou was weakening him by the second, and he would need to come up with an excuse fairly quickly. He leaned up against a brick wall in a back alley, allowing his body to slide to the ground. It was only a matter of time now.

()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()

"YUGI! Watch out!'

The little king of games quickly scooched away from the door as he witnessed Yami forcefully swinging it open, and aggressively shutting it behind him. His panting struck Yugi in wonder as he tried to imagine what his darkness just experienced.

"Yaamii? What- what happened? Is everything okay?"

The Pharaoh took in a deep breath and smiled softly at the sight of his Aibou sitting before him. "Yes, Aibou, everything is fine."

"Is that so?" Yugi rebutted with a hint of attitude. "If everything is okay, than how did I end up locked in my soul room with no means of contacting you?"

The teen watched as his lover's gentle gaze turned rather serious. "I apologize. I understand that with my coming here, I owe you an explanation, and that's exactly what I have planned."

"Whatever you have to say, I hope it includes the answers to how I'm even in my soul room? And how is the millennium puzzle back? I had a lot of time to think, _Atem_. I'm beginning to have some doubts. Please…I pray they aren't true."

Yugi was unsure of what Atem had planned to tell him, but he did know that he wanted to hear the truth. Sure, his lover is extremely handsome…he showed compassion, dedication and love like no other back when they shared the puzzle. However, things were different now. A lot of questions remained hazy, and without suitable answers. If the puzzle was back, wouldn't that mean that the spirit could take control of his body? If Atem was the one possessing him all this time…well, Yugi wasn't sure what he would do.

"Yugi," Yami started off with a careful step forward, but Yugi had moved back in guard. A guilty sigh sank from Yami's mouth as he bowed his head in shame. "This is all my fault."

The teen raised an eyebrow in confusion. Perhaps he would confess? "What do you mean?"

A mere expression of loss thought overtook Yami's face as he pondered the right way to phrase his explanation. "It's my fault that you don't know what's happening. I've hid important details from you throughout the course of my return." His crimson eyes were dull shaded, and sunk down. "I fear that because of this, you will never trust me, because now, our enemies have succeeded at framing me. It may be too late to convince you that I only want to help you, but I will do whatever you wish of me so that I can gain your faith."

Yugi crossed his arms as he began to recourse his thinking. The spirit before him meant the world to him at a time. He willingly sacrificed his soul for him! Yami must love him since he was able to get it back, right? Does that not qualify someone as dependable? But…things had changed. Why would his darkness hide things from him to begin with? That was unlike the spirit. Well, he only had one choice now.

"Yami…" Yugi began with a hint of warning in his tone. "I am willing to listen to whatever you have to say, but I want you to know that I expect the whole truth. If I find that a single ounce of what you say is fabricated, I will never trust you again. Not in this life, and definitely not in the next. I came up with some reasonable possibilities to what has been happening since your return, and it has caused me to doubt the sincerity of your words. I need to know the truth. If you give it to me, despite how painful it is, I will forgive you…but if you leave me hanging, then it's over. I could never trust you again. So please, take this heed to heart. You are a reasonable person, I hope it will shine through."

Yami nearly quivered in the presence of Yugi at that mere moment. How had the shy, delicate Yugi Mutou turn into such a powerful, confident being? Was it really because of him? It couldn't be so. He had it in him all along.

 _Oh Yugi, you deserve the truth. I love you til the ends of time. I pray you will one day understand why I have done this to you…to us. I only wish to save you, Yugi. Please, please forgive me._

"Yami? Do you understand?"

The Pharaoh stiffened his stance and dry gulped the chilly air.

"I do."


	20. Separate Ways

"What da fuck just happened?"

"Holy shit…!"

Joey was the first one to jump on his feet in haste, swinging his head every which direction in attempt to make sense of what had just happened. "The little mother fucker is gone!" He hissed in frustration. "We gotta go after him!"

"I don't like this, not one bit," Tea mumbled nervously. "We've gone through enough, haven't we? Why is it that every time we get the chance to live a normal life, something bad has to happen?"

"This isn't about us, Tea!" Tristan intervened. "This is about Yugi! Imagine what the poor guy is going through right now. We have to find him!"

"And then what? Not to be a negative nelly, but didn't we just find him and let him slip through our fingers?" Ryou joined in. "He has a hold of shadow magic. We can't stand against him."

"It sure was nice when Yugi was on _our_ side," Tristan sighed before bowing his head in disappointment.

"You fools are as ignorant as they come!" Kaiba mumbled. "I can't believe I'm wasting my time in your presence. I'll do this on my own!" His jacket swooshed in the wind as he abruptly turned around to friskily exit the area.

"Get back here, Koiba!" Joey hollered in pure anger, watching as Kaiba stopped in his tracks to listen. "Der ain't no way yer turnin' yer back on us now! Yer da only one who's been able to pinpoint Yugi's location! Yer stickin' with us, pal!"

"I am not your pal, Wheeler. I have no obligation to stay with you."

"WHY I OUGHTTA-!"

"Let him go, Joey!" Tristan held him back. "He's of no use to us." The gang watched in disappointment as Kaiba evaded from their sight. "What do we do now?" Tristan huffed.

"We need a plan," Tea suggested.

"No." Everyone turned to look at Ryou who had just made such a statement. He sighed before continuing. "We need to find Yugi. That's our main priority. We almost watched him commit suicide. Who knows what the Pharaoh is having him do right now. Come on! We must hurry!"

Nobody could question that rationale. The gang agreed swiftly before dashing down the trails in attempt to find Yugi.

()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()

Yami couldn't tell the truth.

Not that he didn't want to, but because it was out of his hands.

If things had been that easy, he would have told Yugi the truth a long time ago.

This time, Yugi needed to learn the truth on his own.

Yami would have to live with knowing that the lie he would soon tell Yugi would come back to haunt him forever.

He wished that Yugi would forgive him in due time.

"The gods gave me the millennium puzzle before I returned to you," Yami began resentfully, holding back the emotion that was dying to pour out of his voice. "Just as things once were, the puzzle remains to be the only means of connecting our souls."

"It's nice to know you lied about that," Yugi spat regretfully. The little king of games wrapped his arms against his chest, face scrunched in disgust all the while.

"Yugi, please," the Pharaoh begged. "I don't want to fight with you. I don't want to see…see so much hurt in your beautiful eyes."

The teen subconsciously loosened his posture, even though his face still showed stress. "So things are just like they were? Why didn't you tell me that before?"

This is where things were going to get rough. Atem decided he would try to get as close to the truth as possible without serving it on a platter. This way he might have a chance at being forgiven in the future. If their souls remain intact, that is.

"I didn't want you to know that I have the power to switch places with you. When I came back, I had thought I returned simply to bring you comfort. I didn't want to impose in your body the way I had when I was trapped. I wanted you to believe that we were separate entities, for your own benefit of self-confidence. However, now I realize that not telling you this before frames me to be the villain."

"The villain?" Yugi looked off into the distance in deep thought. "Because now it seems like you are the one who's been controlling me, right?"

"Exactly. Aibou, you and I both know that I would never disrespect your body like this! I've made mistakes on this earth while with you, but this is one mistake I would never sought out."

 _Your lies earn you a first class trip to Hotel Anubis, Atem,_ the Pharaoh winced inwardly.

"So why am I in my soul room right now? You must have switched places with me!"

"I did," Yami admitted. "This was the first time, which is why it is the only time you remember it."

Yugi nodded cautiously. It wasn't the necessarily the truth, but he didn't need to know that.

"What happened that caused you to switch places with me?"

It was only logical for Yami to prepare an answer for this inevitable question, however, being the smooth intellectual that he was, Yami had not prepared an answer for this inevitable question. A blank look ran across his face, making it blaringly obvious that he was stumped and even a little nervous to be in this current situation. Whatever he was going to say, he had to speak fast, and choose his words wisely. Saying the wrong thing could damn them both.

"Your friends found us," he revealed honestly. "I couldn't let them witness your sacrifice, for it would be too heartbreaking."

"So what did you say?" Yugi interrogated suspiciously.

"I told them I was enjoying the view. It's not suicide until you've jumped, so their accusations were easy to rebut."

In that instant, a wave of depression hit Yugi. His tough guy appearance turned rather grave and shallow, causing him to sink into the sheets on his soul bed. A quick shiver tugged his body as he avoided eye contact. "Suicide…" he prolonged the word.

"Aibou…." Yami attempted to comfort the boy with a familiar hug, but Yugi was hesitant to accept it. "Aibou?"

"Yami…" Yugi raised his head shamefully. Once he had retained eye contact for long enough, he continued on with his question. "Why do you want me to die?"

"Come now," Yami refrained. "I don't want you to die. I want your soul to live on forever."

"My soul, maybe….but why do you want my body to die?"

"Aibou? Are you serious?"

"Don't 'Aibou' me, Atem!" Yugi pulled back defensively. "You're not telling me the truth! Tell me!"

"What do you want me to tell you, Yugi?!" Yami groaned in frustration, pulling away as well. "Ask me some honorable questions here and I'll answer as I see fit. What do you expect me to say when you ask why I want your body to die? Who do you take me for? A murderer? Let's be reasonable!"

"Do you blame me?! You fucking told me to jump off a cliff back there!" Yugi shot back, arms flailing around in attempt to explain. "What do you expect?!"

"I expect you to understand!" Yami growled, voice growing deeper by the word. "I didn't just tell you to jump off the cliff because it sounded like a productive way to spend the afternoon, Yugi! I did it because the truth is that evil spirits are trying to consume your soul, and it's happening fast. Before your soul is diminished from existence, I advised you to surrender your body so your soul could live on. I'm aware that it is quite a lot to ask, but I did it for _you!_ " Yami cringed at the realization that the next few words he would say were "the _truth_ can be hard to digest."

A few moments of silence sunk in between them as they tried to gather their tempers.

"So what? Is that it? Do I just forgive you and move on now?" Yugi cleared his throat and began a sarcastic imitation. "Thanks so much Yami for clearing up my inevitable death. Let's be best friends before I go jump off a cliff, what do you say?"

"Stop framing me as the 'bad guy'."

"Well, maybe you are!"

Silence. The tension grew too thick too soon. Yugi, whom was just flailing around like a kid on a lake tubing, was now cuddled up into a ball with resentment painted on his face.

Yami on the other hand, remained stoic and well postured. However, his mannerisms were not an accurate reflection of his heart. Such simple words, who knew they could invoke such pain? The Pharaoh humbled himself, deciding to throw out his macho act entirely. He sighed, sliding back into the sheets as well.

"Maybe you're right," he agreed softly. "If I had never come back…if I had never been with you to begin with…5,000 years in a puzzle was difficult, but after a while you become numb to the emptiness. Loneliness becomes...tolerable. Love is much more challenging, I'd say."

Yugi's large amethyst eyes grew wide with a solemn gleam of sympathy. He cautiously inched his way closer to the Pharaoh, grabbing his hand safely to assure his support. Yami looked down quizzically at Yugi's gesture, only to smile softly at the innocent look in his eyes. He wiggled his hand around in his grip to assure his acceptance.

"Yugi, I want you to promise me something."

"Uh…a promise?"

Yami chuckled at his anxiety. "Do not worry, little one. This is a promise that can easily be accomplished, but only if you love me."

"If I love you?"

Yami raised Yugi's chin for direct eye contact. "Forget my return and the problems it has caused. This promise is one that if you were to have loved me before my return, it would be possible for you to complete."

"I suppose I can do that. I'll try."

"Thank you, little one. Yugi….I want you to promise me that when this is all over, you will forgive me. That you will love me the way you once did."

"Ya-Yami?" Yugi began shivering at the sincerity of his words.

Yami merely smiled and continued to speak. "Because my promise to you, is that despite everything my return has and will cause, that I will love you until the ends of time. I always have, and I always will."

"Truly?" Yugi grinned hopefully.

"Most definitely."

()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()

Solomon sighed before taking a bite of his dinner, reminiscing on the days where Yugi and he would talk about Duel Monsters for what seemed like hours. It may have been only a few months before, but everything was much more peaceful then. Even if Yugi and his friends were in between saving the world.

No one was more proud of his grandson than Solomon. The shy, fragile, young boy grew into a confident, strong, young man. The one who had no friends ended up bonding with the most amazing companions one could ask for. Yugi had truly walked the bridge from childhood to manhood, in Solomon's eyes.

So what had happened? The two could barely stand each other now. It was difficult for them to just be in the same room. Solomon was scared of Yugi, and Yugi was hurt by the fact that his Grandpa kept ignoring him. It was a never ending game that they arranged, and neither had the guts to call it off.

These lingering thoughts clouded Solomon's mind as he slurped another spoon of soup. He was pulled out of his isolated world when the phone had went off.

"Maybe that's Yugi," he mumbled to himself. "He probably wants to stay with Joey another night," he alluded in disappointment. He cleared his throat. "Hello?"

"Gramps! How's it hangin'?

"Joey Wheeler? How are you, my boy?"

"I'm fine, Gramps. Say, yah gotta help me with somethin'. Is Yugi with yah?"

"Is Yugi with _me_?! He told me he was staying with you! Joseph! What has happened with my grandson?!"

"Calm down Gramps, it's aight."

Solomon shuddered at the realization that his grandson had lied to him. Where could he be?

"Oh yeah, that's right! That's what, Kaiba said," Joey acknowledged, speaking to a third-party person.

"Joey, what's going on? Where's Yugi?"

"We're lookin' for him, Gramps! Currently on the run, might I add."

"With who? Joey!"

"With the rest of the gang, including lil Ryou!"

"I'm not little!" Solomon heard Ryou scream in the background.

"Do yah know where Yug might be?" Joey continued.

"I don't, but please, tell me what's going on! Do I have to call the police?"

"NOOO!" The whole gang shouted over the phone.

"That will not be necessary, Gramps. I don't have much time, but all yah need to know is that the Pharaoh is back."

"The Pharaoh?!" Solomon nearly had a heart attack right there.

"Yeh, he's been possessing Yug because of some ancient prophecy. Weird shi-stuff! I wish I had the time to talk, Gramps, but we gotta find Yugi right now! Call Ishizu Ishtar if yah want the whole story. Thanks Gramps! Ta Ta!"

"Joey! Wait a min-"

The dial tone greeted him rather fast.

If anything was for sure, it was the fact that Solomon had not expected that phone call in the slightest. A wave of shock spilled over him. He didn't have the energy to think things through. Instinctively he ran through his contact numbers of Egyptologists, and proceeded to call Ishizu for more information.

()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()

"Where the hell could they be?" Tristan fumed. "How far could they have possibly gone?"

"They?" Tea raised her eyebrows suspiciously.

"Yugi and the Pharaoh, you know what I mean!" Tristan groaned in annoyance. Time was slipping by, and the gang were no closer to finding Yugi than they were hours ago.

"I just…I'm worried. This doesn't make any sense!" Tea huffed hopelessly. She crossed her arms over her chest in frustration. "Where else could he be?"

"We checked da arcade, game shops, burger world…like, isn't dat all you can do in Domino? He didn't go home either…damn, I'm spent!"

"Joey, you tried calling him, correct?"

"Only like a million times, Ryou!"

The four friends crashed on a park bench for a few minutes to catch their breath. It had been a tedious afternoon, to say the least. The air grew chiller as the sun danced away from the sky. If they couldn't find Yugi soon, they would have to take more drastic actions.

"We gotta keep goin'," Joey muttered while standing up. "We got no time to waste."

"Joey's right, we need to find Yugi!" Tea sighed with every ounce of her energy.

"Where are we gunna go?" Tristan questioned. "I'm a sucker for finding Yugi too, but we can't just run around town with no idea of where he is."

"What if he left town?" Ryou innocently asked.

"What if he's dead?" Tristan rolled his eyes.

"Shad up, Tristan!" Joey hissed. "He wasn't meant to die! Something will happen. Some sort of smokin' gun will help us find him, I know it! I'll search all fucking night if I have tah!" Joey closed his eyes to help regain his cool. "Geez, I called so many people I'm startin' to hear the ringin' of phones myself!"

"Joey! That's your phone! Someone's calling you!" Tea beamed. "Maybe it's Yugi!"

The blonde quickly pulled out his phone, cringing by the name on the screen.

"Who is it?!" The friends called out.

"It's Kaiba!"

()()()()()()()()()()()

Yugi smiled as he pulled Yami in closer, appreciating his warm touch that filled him with happiness inside. "I missed this. I missed being near you, Yami."

"I know you did, Aibou. I did too," Yami smirked sweetly at the sight of his submissive light. If only he could have a second chance at life. It was something he would dream about back before Zorc was defeated.

~ _Everything is so beautiful here. Life is so advanced, much more fair and simple. Yugi has welcomed me into his home. He has showed me what it's like to be among the people I had once ruled, and shared his friends and family with me. I have never known a compassion and love as infinite as his. He makes life worth living. I only wish I could stay…with my own body….to get a second chance at what I never had. I would protect Yugi with all my soul, because he has done the same for me. I am forever in debt to my Aibou. I wish I could show him how much I love him. ~_

Unfortunately, things never turn out to one's liking. Yami knew that. He accepted that. Though, it didn't make things any easier.

"Yami…how are you here with me in my soul room? Did you take a nap?"

The Pharaoh chuckled at his diligence. "Yes, in short." His "heart" fluttered at the sight of his Aibou's wide amethyst eyes. "It was simply due to-ARGHHH!"

Yami bent over in immense pain, gripping at his stomach as his back arched outwards. Yugi quickly jumped besides him in worry, massaging his hand over his back and shivering at the change of mood.

"What's going on?! Yami?!"

Suddenly the Pharaoh calmed down, no sound besides Yami's deep breaths and Yugi's pounding heart. A few moments of awkward tension, and Yami was back to normal.

"What the hell was that?!" Yugi cried out, fearing the quick alters in Yami's actions.

Yugi could feel a jolt of something run through his darkness's body, resulting in the drawback of his hand. He grabbed Yami's chin and tilted it up to eye level, gasping slightly at the cold, blank expression on Yami's face.

"Yami?"

It took another minute or two, but Atem finally shook out of his stupor, blinking his way back into reality. "Yugi…"

"What just happened?"

His crimson eyes widened in worry. "They found us. They're coming for us."

"Who?!"

"Your friends."

"What's so bad about that?"

"Yugi…" Atem cleared his throat, staring painfully into Yugi's eyes. "You must die."

"Can't I just…I don't know, at least explain to them what's going on? Let me at least say goodbye!"

"I don't advise contact with them," Atem muttered in sorrow. "They don't understand. They will spew lies at you. They carry pieces of evil in their hearts." He regretted every word. "They want you to kill me."

"That's absurd!" Yugi spat, jumping out of the bed to pace around.

"Is it? Yugi…it's…it's we either both die, or we both live. In the end, that's what it comes down to."

"What?!"

"You either sacrifice your body for the salvation of your soul, which allows us to enter the afterlife…..or, you listen to your tainted friends by killing me, and then ultimately allowing the evil to consume your soul. Take your pick."

Atem didn't want to phrase it that way, but it was the only way it made sense and to the point.

Yugi froze in his tracks, staring at his feet in loss.

"Yugi, you must commit your own death. As much as I wish I could lock you in here and bare the pain for you, I can't. You must do it on your own. We must switch places. But Yugi, listen!" Yami scooched off the bed, grabbing Yugi's chin to raise it to eye level. "You must do this before your friends find you. I can't fight them off any longer. You must choose the destiny you want."

Yugi nodded his head in fear. Atem closed more space between them.

"Do NOT listen to their lies. They will tell you whatever they can to sway your opinion. It's you and me against the world. What will you do?"

Shivers overtook Yugi's body as a gleam of pure panic rested in his eyes.

"I'll do whatever you ask of me," he finally coughed.

Yami grabbed his shoulders to retain the upmost contact. "You will wake up, run away from where I left your body, and you will allow me to assist you in your physical death in order to assure spiritual paradise."

Yugi cringed at the words, trying to ignore the tear drops that spilled down his cheeks. Yami wiped each one away, pulling Yugi into a deep hug. He hummed as a way to comfort the boy who had broken down into sobs before him, tangling his fingers through his hair and patting his back with the other hand.

"I'm so proud of you, Aibou." He pulled away slowly. "I will not let you down." He closed the space once more, adorning him with kisses on his neck. In perfect rhythm, he eased his way up to Yugi's bottom lip, nipping at it slightly as a way to ask for entrance. Yugi soon complied, allowing Yami's wet tongue a passage into his mouth. They moaned softly as the kiss grew more intense, but it was only a matter of time before Yami had to pull away.

"Take us away, Aibou," Yami ordered passively.

"Yes…and this time, we won't be interrupted."

 **A/N: Hey everyone! Going on vacation this week, so it might be a couple of weeks before the next update! Please review/comment or what have you, I'd like to see what everyone thinks so far. I know it's a little weird and wild, but it'll wrap up with all questions answered. Approximately 5 chapters left, more or less. Please tell me what you think. All my loving.**


	21. Don't You Forget About Me

"What da fuck do _you_ want, Koiba?"

"Speak to me like an imbecile and I will treat you as one, Wheeler."

Tristan groaned in annoyance before snatching the phone from Joey's hand. "Kaiba, what's going on?"

"I thought you losers might like to know where Yugi is."

"You found Yugi?! Are you with him now? Is he okay?" Tristan loquaciously interrogated.

The rest of the gang beamed at the sound of Tristan's reaction to whatever Kaiba had told them. Tea nearly jumped on the brunette for better positioning in hopes to hear the CEO.

"I'm not with him. I'll explain later. Meet me at Kyoto's sushi bar on Grafton Street as soon as you can."

Tristan nodded in acceptance, turning to his friends to relay the information.

"What da fuck?! This ain't the time for a meal! What's money bags thinkin'?!" Joey snarled in rage, pouncing at the phone in preparation to give Kaiba a piece of his mind.

"Tristan," Kaiba called out on the phone.

"Yeah?" The brunette tuned in, dodging Joey's attack.

"Teach that mutt of yours to stop barking all the damn time. I'll be waiting."

Tristan stared at Joey's phone as the call disconnected. "Take it," he finally insinuated to Joey. "And stop your yappin'," he chuckled innocently.

The blonde rolled his eyes in frustration. "Alright, so what's da plan?"

"We meet Kaiba, obviously," Ryou answered.

"How can we trust him? What if he leads us to our death?" Joey snickered.

"He knows where Yugi is," the white-haired boy shrugged while stuffing his hands in his pockets. "We've got a lead, we must follow it."

"He's not even with Yug! How can he know where he is?!" Joey defended.

"Kaiba's weird," Tea joined in. "He's got connections to Ancient Egypt, remember? He's the reincarnation of High Priest Seto. His blood line trails back to royalty…he was related to Pharaoh Atem. Just because he's an asshole today doesn't mean he wasn't valuable to the Pharaoh in the past. According to Ishizu he's had a few visions that have really helped us. This isn't the time to deny his advice."

Joey cursed under his breath, scratching his wrist as a distraction to keep his temper maintained. "Fine. Let's go."

Fifteen minutes later and the gang stumbled across the Ron de vu location. Kaiba was already waiting, leaning against the wall with his ostentatious jacket blowing in the wind. His stoic expression suited his all too professional attire. Upon noticing the arrival of his acquaintances, he slid up his black sleeve and eyed his watch.

"You're late," he coolly stated.

"Can't be late if there was no set time," Tristan narrowed his eyes, obviously sick of Kaiba's rude attitude. The CEO blankly stared into Tristan's eyes before turning towards an alley way.

"Follow me."

Joey quickly elbowed Tea. "I told yah he was gunna lead us to our death!" He whispered.

"What was that, Wheeler?" Kaiba questioned without turning.

"Where the fuck are we goin'?" The blonde groaned.

"To see Yugi, isn't that what you wanted?"

"How do _you_ know where Yug is?"

The President slowly peeked over his shoulder, smirking at the prevalent anger on Joey's face. "Does it matter?"

"It was a vision, wasn't it?" Tea called him out, surprised when she could notice the shift of confidence in Kaiba turn defensive.

"How would you know that?" He turned to face her.

"You were cousins with the Pharaoh," Tea held her ground. "You were a high priest. You have blood in Ancient Egypt. That's why you know where Yugi is. You're naturally being called to Atem's soul. Admit it."

"Don't lay that bullshit on me," Kaiba muttered in disgust, briskly turning back to face the daunting alley.

"Excuse me?!" she scowled, racing forward in demand to be seen.

"Don't be an asshole, Koiba!" Joey grunted in disapproval. Kaiba merely smirked at the notion, continuing to strut forward and lead the gang down a few more backstreet lanes.

"Let him be, Joey," Tea jumped in, no emotion in her voice as she playfully kicked a pebble in front of her.

"Tea?"

Even Kaiba chuckled lightly at her defense to him.

"Sometimes the president of a "multi-billionaire cooperation" has to be an asshole. Sometimes they have to be a jerk. It's normal for them to power house their way through life, am I right, Kaiba?"

Without offering eye contact, Kaiba snickered and nodded his head in agreement. "You could learn something from her, Wheeler."

"But one thing they can't do is run away from the truth. They're supposed to accept it and work around it. That's what makes Kaiba a whiney teenage boy instead."

"DAAYUUMM GIRL!"

"GOT EMM!"

"Wonderful insult, Tea!"

Try and guess which reaction was Ryou's.

Kaiba swirled around in rage, glaring daggers straight into Tea's eyes. The dancer simply winked in response, pushing past him with a giggle. "Come on, boys! Let's find Yugi!"

Five more minutes of trudging around the back alley ways of Domino, and a groan of pain was heard in the distance.

"Yugi?!" The gang gasped simultaneously. They picked up their feet and sprinted around the corner, relieved to see who was waiting there.

Little Yugi yawned somberly as his eyes slowly flickered open. He was laying up against a brick wall in his lonesome, rubbing at the back of his head.

"Yugi!"

The king of games raised his head in surprise. "Guys?" His head wandered around in attempt to make sense of where he was. "What are you guys doing here? How did you find me?"

Tea grinned in relief. This was the first time in quite a while where Yugi appeared somewhat normal and exchanging conversation with the group. Such simple acts could create buckets of happiness.

"Kaiba lead us here," she beamed.

"Ka-Kaiba?" The tri-colored hair teen peered up curiously at the lanky businessman. "How did you find me?"

The CEO rolled his eyes in defeat. "I was on my way home when I had a vision of your body laying here." He hissed at the sound of his acquaintances giggling, as if they were mocking him. "And that's ALL that has to be said on the matter!"

"A vision? Guys…what's going on?" Yugi hesitantly questioned while wiping away the sleep from his eyes. "How did I get here?"

"Yug," Joey huffed, meaningfully staring into his pals eyes. "There's a lot dats been going. We need tah talk to yah bout some important stuff. Okay?" The corner of his lips perked as he noticed Yugi trying to gather himself off the ground. The blonde trustfully extended his arm in attempt to help him out.

"Thanks Joey," the teen smiled sweetly. Yugi looked up with passion in his eyes. The presence of his friends before him, charming him with sweet words completely swept away everything he had been told to do in his soul room. _It can't be that bad, living in a world with a corrupted soul…not long as my friends are here._

For a solid few minutes, no words were conversed. Tea grinned widely before embracing Yugi in a hug, trying exceedingly hard not to let any tears stray down her cheek as her notion was returned. A tiny moan escaped Yugi's mouth as Tea held him just a bit tighter before slowly releasing him. Joey was the second to pounce on the teen, following up with a legendary noogie.

"Joey!" Yugi squealed playfully. Ryou giggled at their exchange.

"Ah man, I missed yah, bud!" Joey cooed.

Tristan came in for a quick man hug and a pat on the shoulder, grinning at his friend's well-being. Following up, Yugi and Ryou exchanged a meaningful gaze. It was broken when the two simultaneously collided in for a loving embrace. The two aligned their heads over the other's shoulders.

"Thank you, Ryou," Yugi whispered for only the brit to hear.

"Anytime, my friend."

The two hadn't known each other long. They were acquaintances at most when the Brit had arrived to Domino. In fact, the gang had thought he was a little strange the moment they had met him. Unfortunately for Ryou, his reputation wasn't so charming either during Bakura's reign. Nevertheless, Yugi and Ryou understood each other the most. They shared similar experiences. And if Yugi didn't have to die, he would have guaranteed they would grow incredibly close.

If only he didn't have to die.

Yugi had to die.

The thought alone caused him to hyperventilate. His body grew weak as his legs collapsed into a crouch, matched with deep breathing and shakes terrorizing his body.

"Yugi?!" Tea cried out in worry, kneeling besides him.

Her angelic voice instantly soothed Yugi's fear, allowing him to regain stability and return eye contact with his friends. "I'm…I'm sorry."

"It's okay, bud! You've gone through a lot these past few days, yah know?" Joey sympathized.

"No!" Yugi called out, stumbling to his feet with anger in his eyes. "I need you to understand! All of you." He took a few deep breaths to help reestablish control. "I'm sorry. I've been a horrible friend this past month," he bowed his head in shame. "I don't care who I lost. It doesn't excuse me for shutting out my closest friends. All you ever tried to do was help me. All you ever tried to do was save me from myself!"

"Oh Yugi…"

"No! Stop! It's true, don't deny it!" He fearlessly held his ground. "You guys mean the world to me. I treated you like shit. I didn't savor your friendship…your love. And now…" a few tears escaped as he tried to hold back a choked cry. "It's too late." With one last nervous glance at his friends, and Kaiba, he backed away from his loved ones and spluttered out "I'm sorry. I love you," before bolting in the other direction.

It was a rash notion but it had to be done. The force of the wind dried up Yugi's tears as they spilled, though it couldn't hide the pain in his heart. Dreary thoughts suffocated his mind; for he knew that if he were to succeed, that would be the last time he would ever see his friends.

" _I'm proud of you."_ Yugi cringed as he heard Yami's words marinate in his mind. He sprinted as fast as he could, praying that he would be able to get away for just a little while longer before anyone would realize what had just happened.

Yugi was comfortable back there. He enjoyed seeing his friends without Yami or evil spirits trying to interrupt. He was thankful for that. He needed that one last goodbye, not for himself, but for their sake. They deserved as much. The instance he woke up, there was a peaceful vibration that allowed him to forget just what he had to do. If only for a second, everything appeared to be okay. It was that moment when Yugi had realized that even if he wouldn't be with Yami on earth, he would be able to survive just fine in the presence of his wonderful friends. It was a shame he couldn't have realized that before. That's just how life works sometimes. It gives you a reason to be thankful for what you've got. Too bad he was just a little too late.

The gang, on the other hand, had _not_ seen that coming. They were almost in shock at how quickly Yugi had shifted attitudes.

"What the hell?" Tristan muttered in awe. He hadn't even had the time to digest what happened before he saw Joey sprint right after Yugi.

"What's that mutt doing?" Kaiba finally spoke.

"Come on guys! Let's follow Joey!" Tristan finally acknowledged. "We can't lose him again! That was definitely Yugi back there! We gotta go after him!" Tristan cheered as he zoomed in Joey's direction. Tea grinned with hope, looking back at Ryou as a signal for him to follow before she also began running.

Ryou nodded with a smile, getting ready to take off before a vigorous hand turned him around.

"Where do you think you're going, Bakura?"

In the matter of an instant, Ryou's debonair persona switched straight into pure rage and disgust. He lividly smacked Kaiba's hand off his shoulder and spat. "Don't you fucking dare call me _that_ again!" He seethed before zooming straight off behind his friends.

Kaiba remained stoic and un-phased, watching as the imbeciles chased off their own personal wet dream. "I was just going to suggest a ride in my limo," he muttered under his breath before briskly sauntering off to a main street.

()()()()()()()()

"YUG WAIT UP PAL!" Joey hollered in uneven breaths as he increased his speed.

Yugi looked back in fear as he noticed how quickly Joey was gaining up on him.

/ _Yami, I can't do it! He's getting closer! I'm so sorry…they were never supposed to be there when I woke up_ …/ Yugi called out through the mind link that he recently found out was restored.

" _Do you need me to take over, my light?"_

 _/Yes…but please, be nice to them. I can't bear to imagine their last memory of me being awful. /_

 _"_ _Yes, Aibou."_

Joey had finally caught up with Yugi, reaching out to grab him when suddenly his sweet friend had turned a little vicious.

"Get off me, Joey!" Yami demanded as he gained control of Yugi's body.

Joey raised his eyebrows in shock at the anger painted on his bud's face. "Yugi?" he questioned curiously. For the time being, Joey was the only one who had caught up with the king of games. It was the first time he had "show downed" with Yugi alone since that day in the park.

"Close," the Pharaoh panted as he tried to catch air. The two had stopped, positioned in front of each other as if they were going to duel. (No pun intended.) Their faces dripped with sweat, revealing a thick shade of red as the fair skinned boys regained their energy.

"Yami-"

"I'm not here to terrorize you, Joey." His eyes grew wide as he stared painfully into Joey's eyes. "And I do apologize for my behavior, though you may find that hard to believe."

Tension radiated between the two as they studied their opponent.

"I can't let you do this to my best friend," Joey finally expressed, holding Yami's gaze as he tried to figure him out.

"And I can't let you stop him." Yami sighed with guilt, bowing his head shamefully. "You know the truth, Joey. You know why I must do this."

"I know it's gotta happen, but no, you're wrong…I don't know why. I don't know why this bullshit is happenin' to my pal. He doesn't deserve it!"

A soft groan released from Yami as he lifted his head, staring at Joey with a dumbstruck expression. "Are you insinuating that I believe he does deserve this?"

"Give us a chance to tell him our side of da story! He doesn't have to believe us, but let him listen!" Joey screeched in rage, balling his fists in fury. "It's not fair that you always steer him away from us!"

"I can't let you do that," Yami seethed, stepping back cautiously. "I can't just hand him over to you! That could jeopardize him even further!"

"What would happen? At least give me a good reason, damn it!"

"I can't tell you. This is beyond your understanding, Joey. I can't just hand him over and I can't tell you the truth. You must allow it if you care for Yugi's safety…"

"Well we better come to terms soon, 'cause I ain't letting you out of my sight! And just in case you weren't aware, making my best bud commit suicide isn't really a trustworthy safety precaution…just sayin'!"

It looked like a horrible choreographed dance sequence. A bunch of step backs, step forwards and little spin arounds to assure that the other was kept in check. A lot of bark, but no bite. It went on like this for a few minutes longer, until Joey heard the arrival of his friends and turned his head back for the slightest of moments.

But it was enough for Yami to make his escape.

Yami had more stamina then Yugi, even if his body was no different. He was able to channel more energy from his soul and adrenaline into his legs to allow him up most speed. The Pharaoh knew he didn't have much time before he would get caught again.

And he was right.

Seconds later, Joey had sprang on top of Yami and vigorously tackled him to the ground. The rest of the gang caught up to watch as Joey pinned the Pharaoh down, watching him squirm beneath his embrace.

"No hard feelings, Yami." He raised his fist above in preparation to throw down. Something about the disappointment painted on Yugi's face made Joey's stomach quarrel. "Yug, I know you can't hear me right now…but I want you to know I'm sorry. And I really hope you forgive me for this black eye."

That was the last thing Yami heard before Joey thrusted his fist into his face.

()()()()()()()()()()()()

"What are you doing here?"

Yami faked a smile as he closed the door to Yugi's soul room behind him. "Let's just say I didn't expect Joey punching me in the face…again. Sorry about that."

"Again?" Yugi's eyes glistened in worry. "When was the first time?"

The Pharaoh chuckled as he sauntered besides Yugi on his bed. He wrapped his arm around the young one's shoulder. "When I had lost my first battle against Raphael. When I lost you."

"Really? You never told me that."

"Now that I think about it, Aibou, I never told you much of what happened during that time. I was very ashamed of myself and dreaded even discussing it. I'm sure you would have appreciated learning more about it before I 'left for the afterlife'. My sincerest apologies."

Yugi flopped his body on the bed, throwing his arms around his head to rest on. "Don't worry. I never thought about it like that. I was just so excited on getting your memories back that it seemed to preoccupy most of my time. Looking back, I wish we could have shared more stories back when everything didn't seem so rushed."

Yami grinned sweetly at his Aibou's notion, watching him as he got comfortable in his new position. "Do not regret the past. I don't regret a single day when I was with you."

"How about when you lost me? What was it like to be alone?"

The elder's face grew expressionless as his mind fluttered with memories of that depressing time. Finally he sighed. "I regret losing you, Aibou. I was so selfish. I'll never forgive myself for that."

"I forgive you." Atem's eyes widened in shock as he quickly searched for eye contact with Yugi. "If I can forgive you, you can forgive yourself. Besides…in many ways, I think it helped you a lot. It gave you a chance to live alone again. You hadn't done that in thousands of years."

"Yeah," Yami spat sarcastically. "I remembered how agonizing it was."

"Oh you depressive fart!" Yugi giggled. "I bet Joey hit you because you were a whiney baby, not because you lost me," he teased.

"In fact, you are entirely right," Yami chuckled. "Though I did have a fair reason." His eyes grew wide with passion as he noticed Yugi blushing. "I am thankful for your friends. They became mine along the way."

"Yami?"

"Yes, Aibou?"

"Could you tell me some stories from when I was locked in the Orichalcos? I know we don't have much more time before one of us wakes up…I don't want to spend these last hours sulking, you know? Could you?"

A genuine smile overtook the Pharaoh's face as he nodded in assent. And so that's how they spent their time. Yugi cuddled up besides his lover, listening intently to every little detail of Yami's experience on earth without Yugi's guidance. Yami had remembered it as a depressing time, but was relieved that Yugi kept cracking jokes along the way.

"Can we take a shot every time you end up crying?"

"Yugi!" Atem laughed. "Don't say that!" His snickers overpowered him as the continued holding each other. After a few moments he was able to persist with his tale.

"How much did Rebecca hate you again?"

"She nearly had a heart attack each time she saw me."

"Haha oh man that's gold! I just didn't have the heart to tell the squirt that I didn't return her crush. Though I can totally see her with Mokuba!"

"That's one relationship I wouldn't mind hooking up, just as long as he stays away from my Yugi," he teased.

"Ah, Yami, a regular Casanova."

The Pharaoh playfully punched Yugi's shoulder, causing an eruption of laughter from the teen. It didn't take too long before he regained his breath and listened some more to Yami's story.

"YOU DID WHAT?!"

"He deserved it!" Yami snorted in amusement, grinning wide at the sight of Yugi's priceless expression.

"HAHAHA THAT'S WONDERFUL! YOU OVERKILLED WEEVIL!"

"I was just so pissed off at his immature tactics. He had been defeated and his soul was captured, but I just couldn't resist from continuing to *ahem* 'whoop his ass'."

"Oh my God, Yami!" Yugi cried in hysterics. "That's amazing! He deserved it! What an asshole!"

"No one fucks around with my Yugi, unless it's me," he winked.

The two continued on with this for what seemed like hours, simply enjoying the other's company. After the narrative had finished, the two took a bit to savor their presence and discuss the inevitable.

"Yami…what's going to happen now?"

"Soon you'll wake up, Yugi. Your friends will probably be there, prepared to spew lies at your face. You know what you have to do." Atem muttered the words unconvincingly. He was tired of this game, praying that his friends would be able to do Yugi good.

"How can I get away? How can I follow through?"

"You'll find a way, Yugi. You always do." He grabbed Yugi and pulled him close, massaging circles into his back and resting his head on the teen's shoulders. "I love you, Aibou. Thank you for spending time with me today." For Yami knew it may very well be the last time such heart lighted conversation could be exchanged between them. "I will treasure it forever."

Yugi shivered as the words processed into his mind. "I don't know what's going to happen to us," he started anxiously. "But I love you, too, Yami. Always have, Always will."

Before their eyes, the door to Yugi's soul room casually opened, revealing an entry way into reality. The pair stood up, hand in hand, moseying their way to the door. At the entrance, Yami turned Yugi to face him, bowing his head to place a chaste kiss on Yugi's forehead.

"Go ahead, Aibou. We shall chat soon." He grabbed Yugi's hand and raised it to leave another kiss. "Don't you forget about me."

Their passionate gaze held for moments longer, tracing the memories with their eyes and retaining the love they had built for each other. Yugi nodded acceptingly, slowly making his way before stopping inches away from the exit.

"Oh Yami," he sighed as he walked on by. "I love you."….

 **A/N:** ** _Hello, I'm back! Hopefully my writing didn't take a vacation with me, though this one felt a little stiff_** **** ** _in places. I hope you enjoy it, and I'll try to update within the next week! All my loving. (Reviews are highly appreciated and even low-key obsessed over.) 3_**


	22. Gimme Some Truth

An overwhelming amount of pain was the first thing Yugi was able to pick out when he had first woken up. He couldn't help but spare a few moans of distress as his eyes adjusted to the light. Unsatisfied with blurry vision, Yugi lifted his hand to investigate its' source. His hand quickly retaliated at the touch of an abnormally large bruise.

 _Well, that can't be good._ Though what did it matter anyway? His body would be useless in due time. With this remembrance, he stood up from his chair…

Well, he tried to, anyway. However, the restraints along his waist and legs weren't really allowing him such an option. Quickly his heart fluttered at the realization that he was being tied down…held hostage. By who? His friends? No…could it be?

Yugi cocked his head around to make sense of where he was. The pieces clicked together at the sight of a framed photo of him and his Grandpa hanging on the wall across from him. He furrowed his eyebrows in betrayal…being captured in his own home? What a way to go.

"Ima go check on Yug," a familiar voice echoed from the other room.

"Jo-Joey?" the teen choked, not realizing how parched he was until the words spilled out.

Seconds later the confident blonde strutted into the room with his head held high. Yugi wasn't sure how to make out the man's change of expression when he made eye contact with him; his poised posture immediately disappeared as a mixture of relief and guilt overcame him. Guess he wasn't expecting him to wake up so soon. Without hesitation, Yugi motioned for Joey to be silent and to come forth beside him. Obediently the blonde kneeled next to him.

"Yug…I'm so sorry bud. I—I didn't know what else to do back dere. I couldn't let him run away with yah. You need to hear da truth!" He whispered cautiously, not yet desiring to alert everyone of Yugi's waking. He intently studied the work he had caused on his bud's face, slowly raising his hand to bristle over the purple skin. He pulled back as he noticed Yugi cringe with discomfort.

Yugi gazed into Joey's eyes, relieved to find that he had genuine concern for him. His honey brown eyes gleamed with worry, widening a little more the longer they held contact.

"Joey…" his hoarse voice cracked. "I'm—I'm scared…" he sniffled.

Joey tilted his head slightly with concern, trying to force a smile to bring comfort to his friend. "I'm so sorry, Yug. I'm sorry that yer scared. I'm sorry yer tied down in yer own home. Like some sorta animal." His face scrunched up in aggravation as the words grew darker with relentless truth. Yugi noticed the tension flow through his body, afflicting his muscles and tinting his flesh red. "I'm sorry I couldn't protect yah, the way a best bud should. I'm sorry I failed you. I'm sorry you think the only way to be saved is to die. I'm fucking sorry, Yugi."

"Joey?! Are you talking to yourself in there?" Tea's voice hollered from the next room.

The blonde bowed his head in shame. "I'm sorry I couldn't stay quiet."

Yugi gaped at the sincerity in his tone, knowing very well that he was the cause of everyone's distress. "Joey…" he dragged the word out.

Joey sighed softly, trying to keep a straight face. "Lemme get yah some water." He groveled towards the kitchen, ignoring the ruffling of feet from the room over.

A wave of panic splashed over the king of games at the realization that he would soon be surrounded like a money at the zoo. This subconscious fear caused his body to spasm within its confinements as he groaned with anxiety. At this point, he would rather death than confrontation like this.

"Joey is he awake?" Tea called again. Yugi cringed as he heard her footsteps hither towards his dwelling. "Yugi…" she huffed softly at the sight of him in hysterics. Her cool expression disappeared briskly with the replacement of concern.

"Untie me," Yugi ordered, continuing to squirm.

"I…I can't…"

"Yes. You. Can."

She nodded her head in denial, transfixed at the teen and unsure of what to do.

"Tea…please."

"I'm sorry Yugi, but I can't do that."

Something clicked within the teen, allowing reckless anger to control his emotions. "DO I LOOK LIKE AN ANIMAL TO YOU? UNTIE ME DAMN IT!" He writhed uncontrollably, erupting in tears.

Tea's eyes widened in shock, unable to move at the sight of Yugi's behavior. It became clear to everyone in the house that Yugi was awake, so they all rushed into the room at once. This frightened him even more as he lividly bucked and twisted around.

"Tea what the fuck?!" Joey seethed, racing to Yugi's side in attempt to embrace him.

Tea, Tristan, Ryou, Kaiba, and Solomon all gawked at the sight of Yugi's meltdown, unsure of what to do or how to react.

"GET THEM OUT OF HERE!" Yugi cried, unable to relax with their presence.

"You heard 'im!" Joey enforced.

They all exchanged nervous glances before obeying the order. Joey sighed in relief once they took their exit, grateful that he could spend this time focusing on Yugi. He hovered his arms over him, wanting to capture him in an embrace, but hesitant due to Yugi's resistance.

"Sshh, shhh," he soothed, smiling just a tad as Yugi took a few deep breaths, allowing himself to cool down. A few moments later, Joey was able to comfort him with a meaningful hug. Yugi wept into his shoulder as Joey massaged his back, whispering words of relaxation in his ear. It didn't matter how long Yugi would need, Joey would be there.

"Joey…why am I tied down?" His genuine curiosity caused Joey to feel a stab of guilt in his heart.

"Buddy, it's not you that we had to tie down."

"Yami?"

Joey nodded his head in assent.

"What did he do?"

"Yugi…we need to talk to you. We need to tell you everything."

Yugi knew it was sincere simply because of how formally he had expressed it. No dropped letters or accented remarks. It was genuine and pure…and that's what scared Yugi the most. "You couldn't tell me, oh I don't know, not tied down?"

"Yug, that's not fair. Every time we tried to talk to you, Yami switched places and ran off with yah."

"Yami's only switched with me twice. The evil spirits trying to devour my soul are the real danger here."

The blonde face palmed at the sound of a mislead Yugi. "Is that what _he_ told you?"

"…What do you mean? That's the truth."

"Oh Yug…please tell me everything that son of a….ahem, the Pharaoh told you."

"You don't know?" Yugi crinkled his nose, suddenly becoming suspicious of his friend. "You should know. They've been possessing you. Filling your head with vile thoughts."

"What are you talking about?"

"Oh come on, Joey! You guys are going to try and tell me the only way to solve my problems is to kill Yami, aren't you? That's what it comes down to, isn't it? Sugar coat it anyway you want, but in the end, murdering the love of my life is the only answer, huh? As if he hasn't gone through enough! As if he hasn't died enough times! Does that sound right? Go ahead, try and tell me whatever you want. It won't make me kill him."

Fear flashed through Joey's eyes. Since when had Yugi become so…defiant? Was it love? But didn't Yugi love him too? "Yug…you don't understand how much Atem has lied to you. We just want the chance to tell you the truth. We can't decide for you, but we want to at least give you the option to hear us. Atem has stripped away every chance we ever had. That's why I knocked him out. That's why you're bounded this very moment. Just listen to us…please."

Yugi was close to disregarding every word he had just heard, but it was extremely difficult do so at the sight of tears flowing steadily down Joey's cheeks. Joey Wheeler never cried. It was an extremely rare affair, and even more rare for anyone to see it. He didn't shed tears without reason.

And this was definitely a good reason.

"If we untie you…" Joey continued. "Yami would take you away from us. This would be the last time you would ever see me. Any of us. This is the only way we can assure that he won't get in the way. I know it sucks. I'm sorry. But I promise to untie yah if yah just give us the chance to talk. Please Yugi."

Yugi wasn't sure he really had an option to begin with, but for the sake of his best friend crying before him…he would at least not be difficult.

()()()()()()()()()()()()()()

"What do you thinks going on in there?" Tristan huffed, swaying his legs with anxiety.

"Well, Joey seems to be the only one who is capable of coming through to the boy," Ryou mindlessly answered, eyes wandering all the while.

"You should have seen the way he looked at me…" Tea mumbled while biting her nails. "You would have thought he was looking at a murderer or something."

"Stop being so dramatic, would you?" Kaiba spat generally, rolling his eyes due to simply being in their presence. "Be grateful I'm doing you all a favor by sticking around."

"What is it to you, Kaiba?" Solomon glared viciously. "You've done absolutely nothing for me or my son save for trying to embarrass us in whatever we do. You claim that you're some big help, but what's your hidden agenda?" Kaiba sucked his teeth in response. "Because whatever it is, I want no part of it. Perhaps I'm a believer in miracles, but I only could wish that for once in your life, you would care about the well-being of my grandson. Someone who has never done you wrong. Someone who has gone through the deepest of depths to save you. Are you truly so hateful because of his skill in Duel Monsters? Is that the only reason you want him to live? If you care at all?"

Kaiba groaned at the old man's message, tempted to get up and leave, but rather shifted positions on the recliner instead. The truth that he didn't want to admit was that he did care about Yugi. Yes, a large portion of it was because he wanted a rematch, but that definitely was not the entirety of it. As a business man, Kaiba knew his limits and more importantly, his morals. The billionaire would never go up to Yugi and sweet talk the kid, but he definitely was aware of the fact that he owed him his life. No, he wouldn't scream it from the roof tops, and much less express this fact to Yugi's pathetic friends, but he knew the truth of it inside. There was not a single person on earth he felt he owed that explanation to.

"That was a hell of a burn, Gramps," Tristan murmured, breaking the silence that Kaiba hadn't realized existed.

When Seto re-focused, he noticed a disappointed gaze being directed at him from Solomon. "I don't owe you an explanation for my presence, just be happy I'm here. Perhaps you can call it repayment."

Solomon grunted at the insincerity in Kaiba's voice and turned away. What a character! Yugi was an angel. A sweetheart. He was being targeted by the gods…only after having to save the world multiple times and losing the one person he cared about. Loved. Solomon winced as he remembered just how hard he had been on Yugi. The poor boy truly was clueless the whole time. He didn't deserve this!

"If Yugi makes it out of all of this, I owe him quite the apology," Solomon thought aloud, solemnly gazing down at the ground.

"Don't say that, Gramps! He'll be fine! And you don't have to be sorry. None of this is Yugi's fault and none of this is ours. It was prophecy. That's all," Tristan forced a smile.

A collective group sigh was the only response as they dwelled in their heartache.

Thankfully, Joey moseyed on in and interrupted it.

"Joey!" Tea gazed in wonder.

"Hiya," he grinned softly. "Yugi's ready for you guys."

Immediately everyone jumped to their feet in excitement, but only to be halted by Joey's command. "Whoaa, steady now!" He raised his hands in cease. "Yug and I made a few guidelines in there that he'd like yah to follow, and in turn, will respectfully listen and accept our words as a possibility."

"Like what?" Tristan raised an eyebrow.

Joey raised his arm to scratch the back of his head. "Well, for instance, he wants only one person to talk at a time. He's kinda riled up right now, and doesn't want everyone attacking him with their ideals." The group nodded their heads in acknowledgement, allowing Joey to continue. "He already understands he can't be untied, but don't try and do anything that may spark Yami to try and switch places with 'im. He won't come out unless he feels that Yugi's being attacked. We don't want that! Don't forget this guy was the Pharaoh…shadow magic and all dat shit. Let's steer clear. Last but not least, do not in any way target my bud! Don't make him feel shitty for any of this, aight? Let's tell him what we know. I'll start us off. If you have anything to say afterwards or in addition, lemme know by making eye contact. We don't want all five of us speaking at once. That clear?"

The gang exchanged glances and politely nodded with understanding.

"Yugi may pick on a certain person to talk at different times. Just be ready. Do not exaggerate your story in any way. Don't forget that when most of this shit was going down, Yugi was unconscious. We don't wanna scare him. Based on what Yugi told me back there, he pretty much thinks that we're the bad guys. Don't get angry or anything if he is hesitant to relay information. Oh, and most important of all! Do not make Yami sound like the bad guy."

"He is the 'bad guy.' I understand your attempt to comfort him, Wheeler, but brushing off the truth won't save him."

"Fuck off, Koiba!" Joey fumed with anger. "You're uneducated if yah think Yami truly wanted Yugi to die all this time." The blonde broke his eye contact with the billionaire and refocused to the group. "This is all part of the prophecy. The Pharaoh has no choice. He is simply doing what he is being forced to." Joey cracked his knuckles as a distraction to keep his emotions in line. "Before I knocked Atem out, he told me that for him to willingly let Yugi hear us out could result in further jeopardy. There's a reason he's being all frisk, yah know? He can't tell us, but it's within reason." He stared deeply into his friends eyes, trying to find someone who understood on the same level as himself. "C'mon guys! You know Atem just as well as I. You know he'd never try and hurt Yugi. He fucking loves that guy. He is not the bad guy here. He's the victim, just like Yug. The last thing we wanna do is make it sound like we're trying to sabotage him, am I right?"

A few tense minutes went by, but Ryou saved the day with the words "We understand." Joey nodded in assent, and motioned for the gang to pass.

This was going to be fun.

()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()

Yugi nervously stared into the eyes of his friends as they sat around him in Grandpa's large wooden table chairs. The seminar setting allowed Yugi to relax just a tiny bit. The only thing that made him stand out was the rope securely fastened around his body, but once he could get pass that, the rest wasn't so bad.

"Yug, can yah tell us what Yami told you? We aren't going to judge you for it, but it might allow us to put things in to perspective, yah know?"

Yugi's eyes narrowed at the request, causing suspicion to run through his thoughts. _Does he only want to know because there's nothing else for him to base his story off? What use does that serve? I know who the tainted ones are here, and they're surrounding me. I must be careful of what information I share._ "Sorry Joey, I don't think I can."

With a soft crack of the neck, Joey moaned in acceptance. "Aight. Then let us tell you our side of da story. Okay? If at any point you want someone else to talk, just interrupt me."

Yugi nodded in assent.

Joey cleared his throat before beginning. "You were in a rough place when Atem left. No one blames you for it. We were all mourning. It was a fucking awful time. It just took you a little longer, and as yer best bud, may I say I would be willing to wait for yah forever."

Yugi grinned softly at the blunt compliment. Well, so far he couldn't disagree with the story. "Thanks Joey," he decided to murmur.

"Yeah. Ha, well, one day, outta nowhere, you were like really happy! I don't remember why, I just recall Tea being really weird about yer sudden personality change." Joey fidgeted in his chair to make eye contact with Tea, which cued her allowance to speak.

"I must admit, I was unconvinced that you were okay all of the sudden. I just didn't want you to hide your depression; that can be unhealthy. I knew there had to be a reason for it, but I couldn't figure out why. Tristan and Joey told me I was overthinking it."

Feeling a little more comfortable in the presence of his friends, Yugi decided to fill in the missing pieces. "I had a dream of Yami that night. He had come back to me. It overjoyed me. He told me not to tell anyone."

"Why?" Tea curiously wondered.

"I-I don't know. Just…he didn't want to stir up any commotion."

Tea sighed in understanding and looked over at Solomon, knowing he would have a word or two to say about Yugi's personality change.

"Yugi, my boy," he started with a cough. "Before you got happy, you got really, really sad," he explained in the lamest of words. "You had a mental breakdown in school, and I had to take you home. You wept all afternoon…all the way until you had went to bed. True, the next morning you were delightful, but when I inquired you about what happened, you flipped out on me."

"I-I did?"

"Yes, my boy. You left abruptly, and I told Tea about your weird behavior when she dropped by to pick you up. I suppose this extra tid bit of information I gave her caused her to be more suspicious."

"Didn't you try and call me like 5 times that afternoon?" Yugi questioned, becoming one with the conversation.

Tea gulped down her nerves. "Yes. You said some really rude things to me, Yugi. I knew it wasn't you, but it hurt all the same." Her face welled up with worry as she noticed Yugi growing uncomfortable with himself. "It wasn't you, Yugi. Don't worry, okay? It's alright."

"I highly doubt it's alright, Tea," he muttered to himself.

Tristan faked a loud cough as a notion to aware Joey that he wanted to speak. When the blonde agreed, Tristan spoke up. "A lot of small things happened Yugi that you weren't aware of. That's okay. No one got hurt, it honestly wasn't a big deal. No need to get into detail. It wasn't you."

"Was it the evil spirits?" Yugi questioned honestly.

"Ahem…not quite."

"So, who was it?"

Everyone shot clueless glares to Joey, whom shrugged his shoulders in response. "I think Ryou knows how to answer that."

"I do?" He questioned softly. At the realization that Yugi was staring at him patiently, he cleared his throat to help gain a more confident tone. "I do! That's correct! Well, Yugi, I noticed that some of the signs that you were showing off reminded me of my situation with Bakura."

"Really? How?"

"Quick, abrupt personality changes. Nothing extreme. Although, considering it was happening, my only conclusions were that you were either being tainted by evil spirits, or that your Yami was back."

"But you made it sound like the way I was acting was wrong. Yami wouldn't try and hurt anyone!" Yugi protested.

"We didn't want to think so either, Yugi," Ryou agreed. "Simply we just acknowledged that he is one of the only spirits who has ever united with you. We couldn't rule it out as an option."

"Oh…okay."

"Your friends were worried," Ryou continued. "We followed you home one day to see if there was any changes or anything."

"You did?"

"Yes…I apologize for the intrusion of privacy, but it was for your sake. Though, we must admit, we saw you conversing with someone that we weren't able to see."

Yugi bowed his head in defeat. "You saw me talking to Yami, didn't you?"

"Ahem…correct. Well, we didn't know what to make of it, so we called Ishizu."

"That's where I come in," Kaiba interrupted, ignoring all the protocols Joey instructed. "I was having some abnormal dreams of you committing suicide. Dreams of the ceremonial duel site and different ancient ruins adorned in hieroglyphs. Somehow I was able to decode some, but not much before my time was up. I called Ishizu the next day, and she was able to put the pieces together. Her and Marik went out and studied the site and came across a crucial finding."

"Thank you, Kaiba!" Tristan sarcastically remarked. "Ishizu returned our call a day later after Kaiba helped her come to a revelation. We heard some pretty big news that day."

"Well, what is it?" Yugi urged.

"Yug," Joey took the spotlight. "We know that you think that we're the bad guys…tainted by some evil spirit. It's okay to think that. We're not trying to convince you otherwise." Yugi peered into Joey's eyes to find solace. "You got me off the streets, Yugi. You changed me. I haven't always been a great guy, but I'm getting' better…because of you. You know me, Yug. You know what I'm like when the shadows take over my mind. Marik's done it to me a number of times, hah, am I right?"

A stray tear slid down Yugi's cheek as he smiled for his friend. "Yeah."

"You know how hard I fought to stay faithful to yah, Yug. I shoulda died back during the semi-finals…I shoulda been a goner…but because of you and your faith in me, I kept fighting! Yugi, look me in the eyes right now…does it look like I am possessed to you?"

Yugi couldn't find a speck of lie in Joey's honest honey brown eyes. "…No…"

The blonde sighed. "I'm glad yah think so. I'm about to tell yah the truth. Do with it as you please, but it's the truth nevertheless."

"Okay."

"Ishizu and Marik studied ancient scriptures as children that hinted at some prophecy referring to the Pharaoh. Not knowing that they'd be the ones to finally witness the Pharaoh's return, they didn't think much of it. When Koiba called 'em, it gave them motivation to go out and find the source of the information."

"What did they find?"

"Take it away, Ryou!" Joey sang.

"Yugi, they found a hidden prophecy in the midst of the rubble. Two of three steps needed to be completed before the last stage of the prophecy was fulfilled."

"So what's the prophecy?"

"Well, Yugi. It's the prophecy of Pharaoh Atem. Most of the prophecy had already came true. It talked about how the nameless pharaoh will return to earth to destroy an evil force that was once locked away 5,000 years ago. The Pharaoh would be able to enter the afterlife if he lost a duel, proving that he could learn from loss the same as from victory. This defeat could have been by anyone through any means. In ancient times it may have been a sword fight, in our time it was a card game."

"Well, I did win the Ceremonial Duel. I don't see where this is—"

"That was the first step, yes. However, the hidden prophecy tells us that something else had to be done. For it's never as simple as it seems."

"What?"

"Don't you think Atem's return to the afterlife was a little too convenient? A little too smooth? That's because it was Yugi. The hidden prophecy reveals that in order for the Pharaoh to truly live in the afterlife, there must be a sacrifice to appease the gods. Either the host body is sacrificed, or the Pharaoh is destroyed spiritually by the host. Unfortunately, a card game wasn't enough to seal his home in heaven."

Yugi didn't realize the tears that streamed down his face. "What?! Why?"

"We think it's because the gods need to be sure that after the Pharaoh living with a host body for so long, the host has to have the power to be able to disregard them from their life after his absence. If the host is not strong enough, they must be sacrificed. For it won't be healthy to have someone mourn their whole life about how the Pharaoh has honored and burdened them."

"…me…kill Yami?"

"And the only way it was possible is if the gods allowed him to come back to you through the millennium puzzle. That's why he returned, Yugi. He needs to fulfill his side of the prophecy, and he's been scaring away anyone who may interfere with that."

"His side of the prophecy? You mean…to kill me? To lull me to my death?"

"Yes, Yugi." Ryou turned his head away, too weak to continue to face his dear friend.

"But…no! Yami's side makes much more sense! If this was true, why couldn't he just tell me! At least I would understand….no…I don't believe this!"

"Yug," Joey continued. "We called Ishizu while you were unconscious, hoping she could fill us in more details. We asked her that same question."

"Well, don't just sit there! Tell me!"

"The prophecy has to come true," he continued. "If Yami were to interfere with his duty, the gods would punish him and you with the eradication of your souls."

Silence….tension….heartache. Yugi didn't know how to respond to that. Joey flashed his attention to Solomon.

"He's right, Yugi. In all of my studies of Egyptology, the worst crimes were punished by the consumption of one's soul. If you succeeded in your suicide, your soul would still remain. If you destroy Yami, his connection to this realm will be severed, but his soul will still be spared. Yami knew this. That is why he would prefer yours or his death over risking the loss of both of your souls."

"Yugi, I was talkin' to Yami before I knocked him out. He cares about yah, bud. The raw emotion in his voice…I told him to let you stay with us, but he yapped about the consequences if he were to do so. He doesn't want to hurt you. He's not the bad guy. Neither are you. You're the victims. It's sick, but it's true."

Yugi was awestruck. Somehow this all made sense, but he didn't want to believe it. He didn't want to believe that everything Yami told him was a lie. Prophecy or not…that was wrong.

"You're telling me Yami lied to me this whole fucking time?"

 _They are under the influence of a great evil._

"Not because he wanted to, but because he had to," Tristan joined in.

 _There is no way to save you, Yugi._

"But…I have to die. Yami told me I had to die."

 _This darkness is only going to get worse._

"What did he tell you, Yugi?" Tea pleaded.

"He-he told me," Yugi stammered, trying so desperately to communicate clearly. "He told me from the beginning that he could sense a great evil surrounding me. They hungered for me because I was the host of the great Pharaoh. Yami said that he was guided here by the gods to warn me that I was in danger. He-he said there was no way my soul could be saved once the darkness entered me. The-the only answer is for me to die. That way my soul would be saved before the darkness consumed it."

"Yugi, all traces of the shadows were destroyed when the Pharaoh journeyed back to Ancient Egypt and destroyed Zorc for the last time. There are no shadows trying to consume you," Tea explained.

 _Don't listen to the lies they spew at you._

"He warned me that you were going to say shit like this!" Yugi cried out. "He saw this coming and he warned me! Why should I believe any of you?!"

"Yugi…you don't believe that, do you?" Tea rebuked.

 _Keep your distance from her, she could cause problems down the road._

"Especially you, Tea! He especially warned me about _you!_

Tea's eyes welled with tears at the sense of betrayal that attacked her heart. The tension in the room grew thicker as Yugi sporadically began shaking with nerves and disbelief. Joey took this into notice, sprang to his feet and ran to Yugi for solace.

"Yug, its' okay bud. It's okay. I know you're torn right now. It's okay to not know how to handle this information."

"BULLSHIT! YOU'RE EVIL…ALL OF YOU! I'M NOT KILLING YAMI! I WON'T DO IT! I'D RATHER DIE THAN HURT HIM!"

"And he'd rather die than see you hurt! Yugi! Listen to me!" Joey grasped his shoulders and shook him into reality. "Atem is gunna enter the afterlife whether you die or whether you kill him. He is gunna be okay. But if you commit suicide…you are gone from this world forever. If there's one thing I learned about that guy, it's that he would do anything to live a long life…one that he could never have. He wants to see you live one, I swear it! He can't have that, but you can! Live for him, Yugi! He wants you to live, damn it!"

"I'VE HEARD ENOUGH, LET ME GO!" He bucked relentlessly into the air, nearly knocking the wind out of Joey. "UNTIE ME! YOU SAID YOU WOULD UNTIE ME!"

"YUGI! I never thought I'd say this but the mutt is right! Listen to Wheeler! Does it look like I came here for a tea party? As if I didn't have any other way to spend my day. He's telling the truth, it'll do you good to listen!" Kaiba growled as he sprang to his feet.

"I've already listened, you asshole! Now get the hell out of my house! You serve me no purpose! You mean nothing to me…there is no way you could have visions about me. Your ego would get in the way."

"His visions weren't because of you, Yugi! They were drawn to Atem's soul!" Tea jumped up. "He was the Pharaoh's high priest, remember? They share a connection!"

"BULL. SHIT."

"Yugi…"

"LET ME GO!"

"Just do it! Untie him for Ra's sake!" Solomon screeched over the fuss. "Yugi isn't a boy anymore. You can't convince him to understand." The elder was on the brink of tears, but held them back for the sake of staying strong. "Yugi needs some time to digest this information. Upset him anymore and that Ra forsaken Pharaoh will take his place. We don't need that. So just—just let him go." He spared one last heavy look into his grandson's eyes before marching outside of the room, smacking his fist on the coffee table on the way out.

It grew quiet then. Solomon said the words that no one else was willing to speak. With great regret, Joey took in a deep breath and undid the knots around Yugi's wrist.

"I'm sorry, bud," he whispered once more. "You've got a black eye because of me and now your wrists are raw. I can take care of that—"

"You've done enough!" Yugi snorted while jumping to his feet. He glared at the gang in the room, taking one last look into their eyes, not knowing if he would ever see them again, and proceeded to storm out of the house.

He had a fucking lot to think about.

* * *

 _ **A/N:** Hello hello! Thanks for reading! Approximately three chapters left! Pretty please review, the feedback means the world to me! Any new reviews will get user shout outs next chapter as a thanks! All my loving 3 _


	23. Head Games

Hello everyone! Quick shout out to XxVampire-AlisaxX for reviewing! I appreciate all reviews and lowkey thrive off of them. If you're going to leave constructive criticism, please pair it with words of encouragement. If something as simple as the change of one single letter in a chapter with over 3,000 words can bother you, I'd prefer you keep it to yourself. (If you don't understand what I mean, then it's not aimed at you) Anyhow thank you for reading. Enjoy this chapter!

* * *

"What the hell just happened?" Kaiba growled as the tension brewed thicker in the Mutou household.

"Poor Yugi…" Ryou hummed with such delicacy, eyes glued onto the door that their friend had just raced out of.

Joey paced anxiously back and forth, biting on his nails and twining his fingers through his ragged hair. A few curse words slipped from his mouth as he stumbled his way around the dining room. "I can't believe we just let 'im go like dat," he muttered at the ground. "Why da fuck didn't we stop 'im?"

"He needs to make this decision for himself, Joey. We can't force him to finish the prophecy the way we want," Ryou sighed, cringing a bit at the thought of it.

Tristan sucked his teeth sarcastically, jumping to his feet in preparation to rant. "Maybe he isn't strong enough to part with the Pharaoh," he bellowed. "Sure doesn't seem that way."

"What da actual _fuck_ are you implying, Tristan?!" Joey raised his head abruptly with eyes of spite.

"You want to know what I'm implying?" The brunette snickered hopelessly. "I'm implying that maybe Yugi oughtta sacrifice himself," his voice was shaky as the words spilled out, but the longer he dwelled on it the more confidence arose. "You saw the kid before Atem came back…miserable," he inched his way closer to a furious Joey. "Depressed…desperate for the Pharaoh's attention…this whole fucking prophecy is about seeing if the host can move on with a normal life after the Pharaoh's final return to the afterlife…maybe Yugi just isn't ready! He sure seems a lot happier with dying instead of "killing" his precious—"

Tristan wasn't expecting it, but he ought to have asked for it, because Joey did not spare another second of listening to his complaints. Tristan was so wrapped up in his exhaustion and hopelessness that he did not have enough time to react to Joey's cold fist shoved right into his face. Ryou didn't have time to stop it, Kaiba didn't care…

And Tea…well, she was still traumatized from Yugi's breakdown.

Tea liked to consider herself strong and confident. She was a joyful young lady, and she took pride in it for many acceptable reasons. Tea had a dream. This girl was determined to make it as a dancer. There was no doubt in her mind that she would achieve every goal she planned tenfold. Every single day she assured herself that life had many wonders in store for her. And she told herself these things because if she didn't, who else would?

Sure, the dame was young and beautiful with lots of amazing friends, but this wasn't because they came to her…she went to them.

Tea was a young girl when she had met Yugi in grade school. The kid was always being bullied and picked on, but that wouldn't stop her from protecting him with all her might. She cared. Her friendship with him prospered. Her confidence in him gave him strength and developed into the close bond they had today. She never betrayed Yugi's trust. She would never hurt him.

So why it is that Yugi was so immensely hurting her?

These thoughts corroded her mind the second Yugi had dismissed himself from the household. Memories of times they stood together, and times they fell apart. Times where Yugi had yelled at her-recent times at that. Times where they exchanged words of comfort. Her and Yugi. Even her and the Pharaoh! They stood together, they protected each other…so why was everything falling through?

Tea didn't see the punch, and she couldn't see what she had done wrong to make Yugi hate her either. Perhaps it was time she let him go—

"I will never, NEVER let Yugi go, Tristan! He could be Anubis for all I know, I will not just let him escape from me without a fight! Yah hear dat? And yer insane if you think he would let YOU go if you were in da same situation, aight?"

The words echoed through Tea's ears like the ringing bells on a slot machine. Joey was right. Yugi would never give up on them, and he never did. Things were quite awful presently, but if they could just hold on to Yugi a little longer, he could be saved!

"And anotha thing! Yugi listened to us! He heard us out and he was conflicted about it! There's a chance he's not gunna die, and lemme tell yah, I'm not gunna sit here and let it happen! I'm fucking outta here!"

Tristan rubbed his cheeks to subdue the pain as he watched his best friend attempt to race out of the door.

"Wait! Joey! We must have trust in Yugi! We must trust that he will be intelligent about this!" Ryou hollered after him.

Joey had halted at the door, not once to look back as he muttered "Yugi doesn't even trust in himself right now. It's not about trust, it's about saving his life." The gang watched as he scampered out.

"Well, now what?" Tristan moaned. "Hey Kaiba, you think we can track their dueling decks from you headquarters?" He chuckled. "I'd say disks but I don't recall seeing them leave with em."

"Not funny," Kaiba muttered in distress, still trying to make sense of his surroundings.

"He's right, Tristan," Ryou sighed. "I know you're exhausted, we all are, but we have to make the most of our abilities right now. Maybe we should follow Joey. We can't force Yugi to do anything, but it would do good to at least keep an eye on him from a distance."

"Yeah…okay," Tristan agreed softly. "You okay, Tea?"

"Hm?" She shook her head to regain focus. "Oh yeah, sure. Um…let me just go tell Yugi's Grandpa where we're going."

"Alright. Kaiba, you following the bandwagon?"

"It seems so. Jumping off now would just leave me stuck in the desert, wouldn't it?"

"Well then, let's go!"

()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()

There are many ways to envision life and the paths that it can bring us on. Of course, some are naturally worse than others. And sometimes, they are the depiction of hell within the soul.

Imagine being stranded in a desert. Heat excruciatingly daunting all throughout the day with sand storms that shatter all hope of a visible destination. No water to cure your most desperate thirsts- your _desires._ Loneliness to an extreme; for the only creatures in the vicinity are the ones who could end your very life. Nothing and no one to trust. No lead or idea of which direction to go. Perhaps one way will lead you closer to a city, or perhaps further into your doom. And though the days are unbearably uncomfortable, the nights can be so frigidly cold. They can be dangerous and mystifying. The darkness that surrounds you will leave you in question. They will leave you with no energy or motivation, which unfortunately can lead to hallucinations. What is real? Can it be confided in? Just what the hell is going on and where do I go? What do I _do_?

This is exactly the situation that Yugi was soaked into. He stumbled his way through the back alleys of Domino, unsure of where he was going due to the frozen tears that distorted his vision. Freezing winds numbed his fragile body as vexatious thoughts corroded his pure mind. The raw soles of his feet allowed him to collapse after a draining run, where he sobbed away his troubles, gripping his chest tightly in attempt to trap some heat. Every time he tried to sort out his opinions, they simply overlapped with contradictions. Occasionally the frustration caused him to groan in distress, but he tried to suppress it in fear of Yami revealing himself. Now that he was aware that Yami was connected to him the same way he always was, Yugi was able to re-establish the walls behind his mind link and keep him out. For once he wanted to make a decision on his own…to think without being interrupted! The situation in itself had caused Yugi to become volatile for some time now, and there was nothing he wanted more than to be consistent to himself.

Yugi had always trusted Yami. Ever since the spirit bonded with him and basically saved everyone he cared about, there was a part of him that believed he would be forever in debt to the Pharaoh. From Yugi's point of view, he never realized that he was in any way beneficial to Atem. Laying it all out in his head, he figured the spirit had done everything for him.

Yugi grew confident because of him. From being a shy school boy with no friends, to having the most trustworthy companions he could ever imagine and whom he would do anything for. Besides his Grandpa, he learned all of his advanced duel monsters skills from the spirit, which allowed him to be the true king of games and ultimately defeat Atem in the ceremonial duel. The Pharaoh shrouded Yugi with words of hope, compassion and praise. He went through the deepest of depths to protect Yugi and the people he cared about. There was not a single thing Yami wouldn't do. And though he had his faults, there was not a thing Yugi did not idolize him for.

Shivering in the frosty wind with no place to go and no one to see, Yugi began expanding his train of thought. It was then where Yugi realized all of the things he had done for Yami. He realized that all of the times Yami had thanked him, it was not a desperate means of gratitude, but rather a sentimental offering. It was very rare that Atem would lower himself to anyone's level…perhaps even an impossible actuality. Yugi had known this, and due to this fact had always wondered why Yami would waste the time to thank him.

Now Yugi realized it was because there was actual reason. Yugi freed Yami's encased soul from the millennium puzzle. He willingly welcomed him into his body and shared all of his belongings, relationships and possessions with him. Even though Yugi had no reason to, he was determined to help Yami recover his memories no matter what the cost. He spent time with him and extended his friendship to him. They went through great lengths together, and through this they gained each other's trust. Yami must have witnessed how much love Yugi expressed to his loved ones, and though the wish of the puzzle had granted him friends, it was his sheer dedication to thrive through them that maintained their bond.

All this time, Yugi thought he was in debt to Yami. It wasn't until now that he discovered how much he had done for him also.

"I don't owe Yami anything," Yugi shivered, muttering the words allowed to see how they tasted on his tongue. A miniscule smile sprinted through and exited the vicinity of his face, replaced with a disappointing sigh and the bowing of his head. "But that doesn't mean I don't love him."

That was one thing Yugi couldn't deny. His love for Yami was immense. Just because there was nothing he owed the spirit didn't mean he wasn't hopelessly devoted to him. Love is a two way street anyhow, Yugi was just doing his job.

Despite how wonderful and charming his Yami was, it didn't mean the spirit was perfect. In fact, he proved his faults many times throughout the course of their time together. It reminded Yugi that even the greatest can fall. That everyone should be questioned, no matter how lovely they are.

His friends hadn't painted Atem out to be a villain, rather a pawn in the gods ultimate chess came. Perhaps Atem was like the Queen. He could move from one space to another in a miraculously quick amount of time. Every direction Yugi looked, Atem was already waiting. Did this make Yugi the king? Only allowed to move one space at a time, and never knowing the next move? The way it had seemed, Yugi was in check, and if he didn't make his move soon, Ra knows its check mate and game over.

This whole time, Yugi didn't have the clarity to see further than just one step ahead. But here and now…alone in the alleys of Domino did Yugi finally see forward. He had an ultimatum. He didn't _have_ to lose. He was the king of games anyhow. How dare he surrender simply because it was the easy way out? Yugi had never done that before, and he was not willing to start now.

The gang had a point. Joey had explained most of the story, and it was too complex and detailed for him to just simply make up. There was a time where his friends were his world. So why was he not giving them the benefit of the doubt? After all of the shit they had gone through, they deserve to at least be heard out.

 _A prophecy…_ Yugi tested the thought, thankful that the inner war in his mind had numbed him to the cold. The darkness was no longer so intense, but rather adaptable with his vision. _It could be true. My friends had never lied to me before. They care about me. I haven't been there for him. They respected me. Sure they tied me up like an animal, but for Ra's sake, I was sure acting like one!_

Space. They had granted him space. One thing Atem never did recently. Not like Yugi had wanted space at the time, but it was becoming more of a necessity by the minute. Sure the teen was tiny and fragile, but he adored his independence. Atem was stripping it away from him, forcing him to become dependent on his presence. It was clear now. That's all he was doing. Maybe not intentionally…but that was the result.

If Yugi listened to Yami, he would have to die. That was it. There was no other option. It was an eventuality he accepted, but now he was beginning to realize that it was Yami's words against his friends. And to be quite honest, that wasn't a good enough reason. Yugi didn't want to die. There was so many things he wanted to do.

Travel for one. There are so many beautiful places in the world that Yugi craved to leave his mark on. All of the duel monsters competition he could enter…all of the burgers he could eat. The movies he could watch with his greatest friends. Yugi wanted to advance his education and grow closer to people like Ryou whom he could relate to. Him and the gang would graduate and go off to college to study wonderful things and land careers and have families…the more Yugi thought about it, the more he desired it. Rainy days with hot chocolate or humid days with lemonade at the beach. There was too much living to do. He was too young to die.

"I'm too young to die…" he mumbled into the vast atmosphere, grinning softly as the wind settled into dry air.

And though he loved Yami with all his heart, even with all of this, there would still be a place for them in eternity. Yami didn't find love during the span of his life on earth in Egypt, but he was united with it when he got to be with Yugi the second time around. Yugi's eyes drooped closed in slight disappointment at the realization that he would probably never have a lover in his life either. He would probably never have a family with kids and a spouse, simply because his true love was waiting for him after death…but he would do it. If Yami could wait 5,000 years, Yugi could wait a maximum of 84.

"It's going to be alright… _I'm_ going to be alright," he encouraged himself, satisfied that the chatter of his teeth had disappeared. A slight pressure point gave off on his head, almost as if Yami was pounding and trying to break through. Yugi stayed strong, blocking off all means of him interrupting his alone time.

 _He's being selfish; trying to pry into my mind like that and figure out what I'm going through._ Yugi snickered at the thought of it. Atem had always been a little jealous for Yugi's attention. This time was different, however. This time Yugi craved his own attention. There was a desire for more information, too. He snaked his hand into his pocket, pulling his phone out with a smile. He unlocked the device and journeyed through his contacts with satisfaction, grinning as he laid upon a certain number.

"Maybe things will change," he told himself as he hit the call button. "Maybe."

()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()

"Where do you think he went?" Tristan openly asked.

"If we knew, we'd be there by now," Kaiba muttered in annoyance.

It hadn't been long since they started the search, but the freezing temperature had prolonged the stress.

"When Bakura used to interfere with me after I figured out how dangerous he was, I tried to get as far away from society as possible. Sometimes in fear that Bakura would hurt others, but sometimes just for the sake of being alone to define my independence."

"So you're saying he's probably alone right now?" Tristan restated idiotically.

"Well he definitely didn't run into a mall for solace," Ryou rolled his eyes. "The pressure of it all can be very confining and stressful. It's likely he ran somewhere he can be alone. Since Domino is a rather large city with no open fields, it's possible that he ran into something like the woods, or towards a beach."

"Maybe a park?" Tristan questioned.

"Could be too many people."

"An alley way?" Tea shook off her depressive thoughts and returned to focus, eyeing Ryou for acknowledgement.

"It's possible," Ryou agreed. "Matter a fact, I used to run there myself.

"An alley way seems likely," Kaiba accepted. "We found him in one before, and it's possible he will dwell in one again."

"But what if he knows that we would think that? I mean, he could put the pieces together and realize that he's already been caught in one, which would lead him to try and avoid them now."

"I doubt it," Ryou jumped in. "He didn't seem to be in the mood to think all of that garbage through."

Tristan growled at the consistent denial of his ideas. "Well maybe the Pharaoh thought it for him!"

"Tristan! Calm down, I can hear the annoyance in your voi—" Tea's phone quickly interrupted her line, causing her to reach into her pocket and accept the call.

"Joey! Joey, have you found Yugi?" Tea beamed.

The gang listened to the silence as Tea absorbed the information.

"Really?" She questioned softly. A few more seconds went… "Okay, thanks Joey." She disconnected the call.

"What'd he say?" Ryou intervened.

Tea smiled weakly. "He found Yugi in the same exact spot we found him before. He's watching him from a far. Let's join him."

A silent praise was exchanged before they stormed off into the back lanes.

()()()()()()()()()()()()()()

"Yugi? Is that you?"

"Yes, it's me."

"Oh wow. I wasn't expecting a phone call from you. Though I am so delighted that you called!"

"Thanks, Ishizu."

"I'd like to extend my condolences on your inevitable stress. I know you're going through a lot, and I'm proud of you for staying strong. How can I offer you my assistance today?"

A soft chuckle slipped from Yugi's mouth at the unnecessary kindness Ishizu had shared with him. Ra knows he didn't deserve it.

"I-, I-, Honestly Ishizu, I just want to know what's going on. Could you tell me everything you know?"

A brief moment of silence hung between them before Ishizu answered. "What do you want me to tell you?"

"You know, Ishizu." Yugi took in a deep breath. "If you didn't know, I would know who to believe."

Yugi could hear Ishizu sigh on the line, taking a moment to stir up the energy to relay all of the information that Yugi was just informed of. She took the time to detail every single thing that Yugi's friends had told her about. Yugi shivered from the narrative, relapsing into memories that he felt so awful for initiating to begin with. The twist of how his friends felt and what they experienced caused him more distress as he began to realize how much information the gang had spared him just to gain his trust. She mentioned Kaiba and how he was drawn to the returning soul of Atem, which allowed him to pick up on where Yugi was located and what was happening. She discussed the prophecy, and how it was a part of the scriptures she studied as a child, but something she forgot as the years passed on.

"How was I supposed to know that it would be Marik and I who would experience the return of the Pharaoh? After 5,000 years of tomb guarding…we were the last to imagine it, I tell you." Those words stuck out in Yugi's mind as she continued to explain the prophecy and its origin. Her words delicately explained the reasoning for the prophecy and why it was invented to begin with. It all seemed so natural…too perfectly aligned with what Joey had explained for it to be considered a hoax.

When Ishizu had finished explaining, there was still one thing that tugged at the back of Yugi's mind. "So am I supposed to kill him? Because I don't think I can do that."

"I'd prefer not to use the word kill; that sounds much too morbid and vicious. It's rather you dismissing him from this world permanently."

"Not the best way to sell the case," Yugi admitted truthfully.

"Perhaps, but it's not like we have another option," she clarified. "Yugi, I know it sounds painful, but in all honestly, it's rather an honor."

"I highly doubt that," Yugi snickered.

"You might, but don't be fooled. You are the only one in this _universe_ who has the power to put Atem to rest. Not even the gods can grant him access to the afterlife. _Only you._ Atem cannot express it, but he desperately wants it. He wants this bickering to end. It's like the ceremonial duel. He put everything he had into that battle as a testimony to pass on. He has to do the same thing now as the final stage for his departure. It's a challenging test, but I know you can pass it."

Yugi dwelled on the thought a moment longer. Was he truly the only one who could put Yami to rest? When put like that, it didn't seem half that bad. But was she right? Was she speaking the truth? That was the tricky part.

"I'm not saying I'm going to do it, but would you tell me how I am supposed to dismiss Atem? How do I…let him go?"

Yugi could almost feel Ishizu smile on the line, grinning at the vibe of it.

"Of course, Yugi. It starts in your soul room. Once you get there, you need to follow my instructions very closely."

"How do I know I can trust you?" Yugi accidentally vomited the words.

A brief hesitation. "This is my life, Yugi. My whole life involved studying these scriptures and learning about the not-so-nameless Pharaoh. Tomb guarders don't do these things for nothing. We don't just hold the name without the sources and education behind it, for what difference would that make me from the average person? This is _who I am_ , Yugi. And it's time you embrace _who you are_."

 _Embrace who I am?_ The question danced around his mind, trying to find a place to rest. He never really knew who he was before Yami…before his friends… but the answer never lied within them to begin with. It lied within himself. And it was this moment where he swore that the game was starting to change. With a confident smile, he stepped out of check in this life-like game of chess. A fresh slate. A new start. An open mind.

"I understand now," Yugi whispered over the phone. "Just tell me what I have to do."


	24. Cuts Like A Knife

**_A/N: Hello everyone! This story is coming up to an end, (one-three chapters max.) I just want to thank everyone who's reviewed, Littleme100, XxVampire-AlisaxX, MagicNess, and Jian Ling!_**

 ** _Littleme100: Haha, sacrifices are a favorite of mine, mostly because they seem so inevitable but so heartbreaking all the while. I'm glad you're enjoying the story, thank you!_**

 ** _Jian Ling:_** **_hello, I do appreciate your honesty. The reason I deleted the comment is because it aggravates me when anonymous users criticize and don't give me an option to respond, (or a name to address) and especially if negativity is all they have to offer after reading that far into the story. Neither do I believe what I asked was in any way uncalled for, just rather a requested favor for the future. However since there is a name attached, I will give you a fair hearing and leave this review. I understand the opinion, and yes, my fic can be a little self-contradicting with slang in the midst of the tension, but I like to use it as comic relief. This is my first fic/story (ever) in which I use third person, and so it's still of comfort to add things like "mic drop" and so forth. If it bothers you I respect that, but it wouldn't stop me from doing it again. I'd say it's less of an occurrence in this story than I have seen in others. Everyone has different opinions, so thanks for sharing (both critic and praise) and being professional about it._**

* * *

 _"I love you, Yugi…my love."_

 _Yami wanted to immerse himself in this affection for as long as possible. A strange mix of emotions overcame him as he clung tightly to his love. Yami had never experienced so many sensations all at once. Part of him was happy; he wanted to be pleased that he got what he wanted all along. The other part was devastated. This was it. This was the last of their earthly interactions, after all the time they had spent together, this was the end. No matter which way the Pharaoh tried to sort it out, there would be misery and joy for all. But this…this invested embrace, this was something he would admire for eternity._

 _"I love you, Yami. Always have, always will."_

 ** _Earlier~_**

Oblivion. Confusion. Things just didn't make sense when Yugi tried to transport himself to his soul room. Usually the transition was rather smooth and encouraging. In the past it had meant he was trusting his body to the wonderful soul of the great Pharaoh Atem. Now it was rather a hazy scenario. It was a moment where Yugi knew that an unsettling confrontation would take place and a side would need to be chosen. The most difficult part was that he had still not picked, and he was aware of how flimsy he was in the presence of Yami.

 _It's going to be okay. You're going to be just fine. There's a reason for everything, and in the end it always works out. You'll make the right decision. It'll all be fine._

Words of encouragement fluttered around his mind as his body shook with anxiety. Grandpa wasn't here this time to set him straight. It was up to Yugi to stay calm, and he would attain it if it was the last thing he could do. His eyes opened slightly as he settled into his soul room, taking in a deep breath at the sight of the familiarity and comfort that it provided him.

"This is it," the teen mumbled to himself, with as much confidence that he could spew into the words. His fists clenched at his side as a sort of precaution, with eyes squinting all the while.

The door in front of him had never looked so challenging. Such a simple facet, a wooden entrance with a bronze knob that allowed him to exit his current position. It never had bothered him before, but in this instant it brought him nerves and anger. Why did he have to confront it? Why did he have to leave through it? No reason seemed good enough, but he pushed the thoughts to the deepest corners of his mind as he marched towards it.

A wave of hesitance overtook him the moment his finger brushed the cool surface of the door knob. His eyes widened in shock as he noticed just how much he was shivering.

 _If you think this is tough, wait until you have to open Yami's door._

Yugi chuckled at his ability to joke with himself in such a crude moment. It was with this comfort that he swung the door open harshly, not giving himself the time to hold back.

The temperature seemed to have dropped drastically once Yugi entered the hallway that put him adjacent to Atem's room. No logical thoughts swirled in Yugi's mind, but rather a fascinating mixture of memories and the overbearing sensation of being in an abandoned insane asylum. In many ways, the feeling was practical. Yugi was never really normal, similar to patients who resided in such hospitals, but it had brought him comfort and assistance in life. It was a crutch to his persona. Though now, it was all in the past. Now it was swarmed with dead spirits, quite literally, that he was unsure of trusting in. It was a battle of the living and the dead.

The ghost wants him to die, and the living want him to live. When put like that, how could one possibly make the wrong decision?

It's only possible if said person has fallen in love with the dead.

Which was exactly what Yugi had done.

Before Yugi even had the chance to think about what he was doing, he paraded his way to the door, ignoring all feelings of doubt, and swung it wide open. Without truly adjusting his eyes to his surroundings, he emerged himself into Yami's room and slammed the door beside him. _Fake it til you make it,_ Yugi assured himself. Confidence will bring one a long way….

That is, until the door has finally shut, the daunting atmosphere of the room consumes you, and eye contact with the frivolous Pharaoh Atem has been made.

Yugi was appalled. _There's no way…_ the young king of games had just stirred up every courageous speck in his body and brewed it in an armored façade of bravery. How in the hell could _one_ look into Yami's mysterious crimson eyes make it all melt off into the artificial garbage that it was?

It was everything about him that caught Yugi off guard. It was the way he stood so _proudly;_ front and center in the maze of doom…as if he were waiting for him. No, he _was_ waiting for him. Arms crossed and fiery eyes completely leveled with Yugi's line of sight. His lips curled into this seductive, sinister and classy grin...as if they were begging to speak. Body language alone was a monologue performance of a thousand words. Yugi could turn around and walk away now and already know every ounce of what Yami would have delivered. Didn't seem like too bad of an idea.

Heck, if he didn't, there is a definite chance that Yugi would be seduced into whatever Yami wanted. His black leather pants hung tightly onto every curve, every muscle that Yami's legs had to offer. Yugi was used to the attire, but something about it now made it look so pleasantly sinful. The teen took note of the extra jewelry that hung around the Pharaoh's neck, wrists, arms and ears. The mixture of silver and gold so perfectly complimented his snug v-neck tank top…did the Pharaoh have those abs before? Those delectable, thick muscles in his arms? Yes…he must have…and yes, this would be the perfect time for Yugi to walk out-

"Yugi."

Oh and that voice! That deep, bottomless, baritone voice that sounded like the harmony of an angel. Perhaps it was just a seductive demon all along.

"Atem." It came off as a weak attempt of bravery but it was worth a shot.

Yugi's mind wandered to naughty places as he found heat in the way Yami's eyes surveyed his body. _It's too early to break down…_

Yami chuckled slightly at the sight of a nervous Yugi, dismissing the fact and motioning his hand towards a stairwell. "Shall we take a seat?"

"Alright," Yugi cleared his throat, watching cautiously as Yami so flawlessly strutted towards one of the many stairs to sit at. After a moment of hesitance, he followed Yami's lead and took a seat across from him on an opposite step.

A quick moment of silence overtook the two as some sort of staring contest took place unannounced. "I must say, I'm a little disappointed in you, my light," the Pharaoh started off.

"Why is that?" Yugi suppressed a stutter.

"I didn't expect you to close off your mind link. There was no way for me to tell if you were in danger."

A small wave of relief passed through Yugi's plentiful emotions. _Is that all he knows? Is that all he's concerned about?_

"I needed time for myself," he stated stoically. "You've been interrupting my thoughts for a while now. My friends mean a lot to me. They deserve to be listened to just as much as you do."

"Interrupting, is it?" Yami raised an eyebrow. "Please correct me if I'm wrong, but you _wanted_ me to be with you, am I right?"

"Of course I did! And I still do!" Yugi's eyes wandered as he could feel the nerves resurface. "But that doesn't mean you deserve all my attention, and unfortunately that's what I've been doing these past few weeks. Even before you came back I didn't give my friends the attention they deserved."

"These friends you speak of have been a part of an evil alliance—"

"Stop. Don't say another word!"

Yami's eyes widened in shock at Yugi's intervention. "Excuse me?"

"Yes, excuse you! Excuse you for not allowing me to hear both sides of the story until just now. I don't know what's been going on or who to believe, but when I woke up from our last "date" in our soul rooms, I was _tied down_! Like some sort of animal! What have you _done?_ "

It wasn't easy to make out the expression on Atem's face. It was some weird combination of surprise, betrayal, and a little bit of amusement. There was a lack of seriousness to the situation at hand.

"Me? You believe I would hurt them, Yugi? Is that what you're saying?"

"My friends were _terrified_! They kept mumbling about how they can't risk frightening or disappointing me because they were scared that you would take over and hurt them! When they told me their side of the story, they didn't even tell me half of what really happened in attempt to spare me the details of all the awful things you did to them!"

"Is that so? And what are these awful things that I have done? How would you know of the details they spared you? How do you know you can trust them at all?" Yami's tone rose with frustration.

"Ishizu told me what I needed to know…and Joey…oh Yami, you should have seen the look on his face! There was no way he could have lied to me."

Yami mustered a soft chuckle.

"What's so funny?!" Yugi jumped to his feet in rage.

Atem's eyes redirected to Yugi. "You wish to know what I find funny? I find it somewhat amusing at how easily persuaded you are! What about the look on my face? Does it appear that I've lied to you? Hah… I always deemed you as the type to stick to what you believe in, but I suppose I was wrong."

"I don't know what I believe in anymore!"

"Well what about me?!" Yami leapt up in a warning manner, motioning to himself as he closed in on Yugi. "Don't you believe in me? After everything we've gone through together? You can believe in me, Yugi! You can t _rust_ in me!"

Yugi nearly broke down in tears at the choked sound of Yami's voice. Hurt and betrayal painted all over his face as he inched closer to the king of games.

"Stop, please…stop."

"Stop what? I'd do anything for you, Yugi, what do you want me to stop?" His words sounded harsh and sarcastic, but Yugi knew it wasn't so.

"Stop putting me in this position, please! Yami, my love! If there is anything I want you to know about me, it's that I am utterly, and hopelessly in love with you…but something tells me that you want me to stand up for myself. Something tells me that you want me to, for one time in my life, trust in myself instead of you. You can't say it…but you want me to make the right decision. I feel it in my bones!"

For the slightest instant, Yugi swore he could see a glimmer of hope in Yami's charming eyes. "What is this right decision?"

"My friends, Ishizu even, told me about some hidden prophecy that dates back to your time in Egypt. It was left as a sort of precaution for both you, and the host body of the Pharaoh…being me."

Without his eyes leaving Yugi, Atem politely sat back down and continued to listen to the narrative.

"The way the prophecy was designed, two of three steps need to be completed in order for you to have a safe and permanent return to the afterlife. The first step is all about you. In order for you to relinquish your dominance and royalty as a pharaoh, you need to lose some type of duel. Alright, so we challenged each other in duel monsters. As if it wasn't hard enough to lose you one time, the prophecy foresees that I need to lose you again."

Yugi began pacing around as he let the words swell up from his heart.

"The next part of the prophecy is about me. Apparently sharing the soul of an ancient Egyptian Pharaoh can do a number on a person, so in order to assure that my life can go back to normal, I have to properly dispose of you myself. In a much more…intimate way. Beating you once isn't good enough, because the first time it was about you and how you had to lose. Anyone could have done it. It just so happened it was me, but anyone was allowed to try. But now…now it has to be me. I have to defeat you as a way to prove to the gods that I am worthy of living on my own again. That I will not be depressed and spill secrets of ancient Egypt or live in the past. If I can defeat you, the prophecy is complete…

"But that's where you come in. The third step in the prophecy is an ultimatum. It's an obstacle. It's what will happen if I am not strong enough to dismiss you from my life. It's my death. If the host body can't move on from the pharaoh, they must act as a sacrifice to the gods. Does that sound right?"

Yami didn't say a word. He sat there with caution, not a single expression comprehendible on his face.

"None of this is your fault. If this is true, I want you to know that I don't blame you for a single thing. Not a single fucking thing, Yami! We're like little chess pieces…someone's got to win, right? For some reason, there can't be a draw. Someone is always on the winning side…for some reason, it can't be completely even and we both can't give in. I don't know why, but that's just the way it is."

The teen took in a deep breath to calm his anxious state and reinstated his contact with Yami. His leg was crossed over the other as he pondered every word and digested its ideal.

"Yugi…you don't truly believe this, do you?" It sounded more like a plea, but Yugi took it with a grain of salt.

"The more I talk about it, yes. It makes so much sense to me, Yami! It really does. Everything you told me…it sounds so hopeless and uncertain. I just…I cannot fathom the idea of me having to die. For what? Because you said so? I can't just sacrifice all of my hopes and dreams because of that."

"Aren't I your hope? Aren't I your _dream_?"

It was difficult to look Atem in the eye. Such proud and dominant features should never look as vulnerable as they do now. _Eyes don't glimmer in the dark, those must be silent tears_. Yugi swallowed his heartbreak as he flat out answered "You're a dream that I cannot pursue."

"Did you come here with the intent to kill me, Yugi? Is that it? Did you come to slaughter me? Does the darkness eat at your soul until we are both damned to oblivion? Is that what you have chosen for yourself?" The stutter of uncertainty sent chills down Yugi's spine.

"Ishizu said it was an honor. That I was the only one who could allow you a passage way to the afterlife…that not even the gods could permit you that!" Yugi couldn't restrain the tears any longer, though it was beneficial that the cry remained silent

"Do you believe her?" He raised from his seat slowly, carefully.

A nervous gulp was the only sound that could be heard. "Yes."

"Foolish!" Yami zipped around in distraught, running his fingers through his voluminous hair, muttering words in frustration all the while. "And everything I told you? Everything I warned you about? Are you simply going to dismiss it?" He screamed at the walls that trapped him.

Yugi's heart fluttered so viciously that he was positive it would fly right out of his body and straight to Yami. _Keep your shit together…please…._

"All of the things I promised you!" He wept in hysterics, pacing around in attempt to make sense of everything. "All of the things you promised me! Please, Aibou! Don't turn back on me now! Not now…please…you must listen to me! You must die! You must! It'll be okay, but you must!" His eyes occasionally making contact as he defended himself.

Yugi scratched aggressively as his wrist as a way to subdue the mental pain that afflicted every inch of his mind. "There is not a single part of me that believes that you want me to die. Not a single speck!"

"I NEVER WANTED YOU TO DIE!" Atem bellowed as he spun around and abruptly wrapped his arms around his light. "I only want to save you…"

Yugi began sobbing as realization dawned over him. Yami was weeping into his shoulder as he cried into his chest, clinging to him like a life line. This was it. Both were so vulnerable….neither expecting what the hell was going on or what would happen. This was the time.

A shiver of remorse overcame Yugi as he wrapped his arm around Yami conveniently to the point where he could reach his belt. Regretfully he snaked a five inch dagger out of the case that was attached to his gaming belt and lifted it up to Yami's back.

At that moment, everything was a haze. Yugi could no longer hear the cries that escaped his mouth nor his love's. Nothing seemed to have mattered. It was a numbing realization that he had no idea what he was doing, but he was going to follow his instinct. There was no sure fire way he knew what he was doing was right, but he went with it anyways.

Yugi never imagined himself in this situation. Not from the moment he met Atem and not even one day ago. And somehow Yugi was scared by the fact that he had changed sides so quickly. Though he couldn't deny that things just made sense now. Before his friends explained the prophecy, Yugi felt as if he was walking blindly to places he was unaware of. Little did he realize he was walking straight towards the edge of a cliff. Now things were different. It was as if the blind fold was tossed away, and light had shone upon him. The cliff was still before him, and walking towards it would result with death. But now he had the option to turn around, one he was never offered before. It all made sense.

There was no evil. There was no evil in Joey's eyes as he sobbed about Yugi's well-being. There was no evil in grandpa when he regretfully ignored Yugi. There was no evil in Tea when Yugi saw the tears in her doe eyes. There were no evil spirits…it was all Yami. It was apparent once Yugi had found out that Yami was able to take over his body just like he used to. It made even more sense when his friends had explained the hidden prophecy. It was all a lie…a prophecy. It had to be done.

That's not what convinced Yugi to plunge the dagger. What convinced Yugi to hold that weapon high, with the hopes that everything was going to be okay, was the promise that he had made with Yami.

" _I want you to promise me that when this is all over, you will forgive me."_

No one says that kind of thing unless they felt like they were at fault…at fault for something they can't change.

 _"This promise is one that if you were to have loved me before my return, it would be possible for you to complete."_

It made sense now! Yami must have felt like at that point in the "game", he was going to win! That he was going to succeed in getting Yugi to sacrifice himself.

 _"Because my promise to you, is that despite everything my return has and will cause, that I will love you until the ends of time. I always have, and I always will."_

That promise…those words…those were the ones that allowed Yugi to lift his arm a little higher, sobbing as he comforted what was left of his Yami, and begin to lower the dagger into the only one he had truly ever loved.

"I love you, Yugi…my love," Yami broke through his cries, quickly stopping Yugi's action, if only for a slight moment.

"I love you, Yami. I always have, I always will."

To be continued…


	25. Time is on your Side

"YUGI!"

"Be careful, guys."

Tristan, Tea, Ryou and Kaiba sprinted up besides Joey with panic spread across their faces. Their panting spoke volumes as they tried to overcome their exhaustion.

"Is he alright, Joey?" Ryou huffed while wiping a few droplets of sweat off his cheeks.

"He looks like he's dead!" Tristan blurted out bluntly with arms swinging around his head.

"Tell us he's okay, Joey!" Tea wheezed with her hands on her knees. "Please…please just tell us he's okay…"

"He's fine," Joey assured, gazing thoughtfully at Yugi's peaceful form. He had been worried himself upon first finding the guy. Yugi's neck had leaned perfectly angled on his shoulder, with his eyes glued shut and no noticeable breaths being taken. The first thing Joey did was race to his side and check for a pulse, only allowing himself a breath when he was affirmed that Yugi was alive. "He's knocked out cold."

"Is he hurt? Did something happen?" Tea interrogated with worry lacing her voice.

"He's not hurt, not that I can tell. I think he's confronting Yami right now. He mumbles, occasionally. Every once in a while he starts to shiver, but other than dat, yah honestly can't tell if he's dead or alive."

Seto patiently watched the gang exchange their beliefs and worries. Slowly he turned his attention to Yugi, whom in fact, did look deceased. His face was pale and dry, like white skin shed off a snake. He laid so peacefully on the ground, and if for only a moment, Seto felt remorse. Yugi could frustrate him in so many ways, but the last thing he wanted was to see someone he respected so highly in such a vulnerable position. Though he wouldn't come out and say it, there was a reason he was putting up with his friends this whole time.

"Can we wake him up?" Tea asked hopefully, breaking Seto's concentration.

"No. Joey's right," the young president stated.

Kaiba hadn't expected the full attention when he politely used Joey's first name without any derogatory comments to follow. Everyone's eyes peered at him as he blinked off the slight feeling of awkwardness.

"Yugi's confronting the Pharaoh. To wake him would be detrimental to the prophecy."

Kaiba also wasn't a big fan of the spacey silence that followed.

"Wait a second here," Tristan raised his eyebrows. "Are you saying that you believe this? Are you admitting the prophecy is real in accordance with the legend of the Pharaoh?"

He didn't want to fall into Tristan's game of "Admitting his feelings" or "Accepting the truth". It was much too childish and far below the level Kaiba was willing to sink to. But there was one thing Kaiba realized after all this…

He had seen enough. He had done too much. It would be more foolish to pretend like he didn't care. The CEO took himself as a pretty stand-up guy. He was a no nonsense, serious, logical and ambitious person. It would only make sense if he had finally put all of these games he created behind him. With a deep breath, he explained himself in the most simple of terms.

"It would be foolish of me to continue to deny what I have experienced in front of first hand witnesses. I realize that there are no other ways to explain these dreams I've been having, or these abnormal visions that lead me to foresee things I would never been able to string together myself. I admit that I witnessed Yugi duel the Pharaoh, only after being sucked into Ancient Egypt myself. Perhaps this whole connection between me and the High Priest isn't garbage after all. How else could I logically explain these experiences? I'd be a fool to deny them, for you all witnessed them as well." He studied the faces of raw amazement before him, but continued to speak before they had the chance to add their input. "I haven't been the easiest person to deal with, and I'm not going to apologize for it. Just know that I'm here now. Yugi is…he's a respectable person. I owe him what I can offer. And as for you dweebs…you're not so bad yourselves."

What had caused Seto to go so soft? Was it Yugi laying on the ground looking like a corpse? Was it the friends of Yugi in clear distraught and exhaustion after weeks of fighting a darkness that they once called their friend? Whatever the case, this was no dueling championship. There was no reason to not treat these people with respect. Leave the bickering for battle…this was a moment to work together.

There was a long pause after Seto delivered his little speech. It was safe to say that no one was expecting him to say anything along those lines. Joey, whom had basically glued himself to Yugi's side, stood up and took a few step forwards, with a clear and stoic expression. He strutted past his friends, never taking his eyes off Kaiba, and stopping a few mere inches before him. The tension between Seto's icey blue eyes and Joey's honey brown marinated for a few moments longer than either had expected. Up until…

"Kaiba," Joey stated clearly and firm. He extended his arm out, laying his hand in front of the CEO's to shake. "Truce?"

Kaiba hadn't expected that either. No insults? No cheesy jabs or heavily accented remarks? The brunette lowered his focus and stared intently at Joey's peace offering hand, waiting to be accepted. _I'm going to regret this…_

"Yeah, truce," he agreed subtly, accepting Joey's hand and shaking it firmly. Kaiba was aware of what it was like to have someone you love in harm. Though he never accepted sympathy, he figured there was nothing wrong with at least attempting to show support.

There was no "aww." There was no cheering. It was subtle and promising. It was overdue. Perhaps they could put all their struggle behind. Every book needs a new chapter, after all.

"Guys, look!"

The little "make up" was cut short when Ryou had motioned the attention towards Yugi. The young teen was shaking brutally against the cool brick wall of the alley way. Though his lids were closed, the rapid eye movement was clear beneath its cover. Every so often Yugi would shift drastically towards a certain direction, moaning softly in fear.

"Oh my God…" Tea gasped, hands covering her mouth in shock.

Joey ran back, dropping to his knees and trying to keep on his best poker face. "Yug, it's going to be alright, stay strong!" He turned back to his friends. "Someone give him their jacket!" He called out forcefully, quickly stripping off the light sweater he had on to place on Yugi's chest.

Kaiba shook his head doubtfully, stripping off his coat and remaining in his under-armored long sleeve shirt. He sauntered over to Yugi and placed his jacket on top of him carefully.

"Thanks," Joey acknowledged. Kaiba only nodded in response.

"It's not just the cold, he's distressed," Ryou pointed out. "He's making some really challenging decisions in there."

The whole gang closed in on Yugi, kneeling besides him and extending their patience and love. Tea ran her fingers across his thigh, "We're here for you, Yugi," she held back a few tears.

It was hard for them to witness his shivering and know that there was no use in trying to stop it. The most they could do now was wait…wait and hope that everything would be okay.

()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()

 _"_ _I love you, Yugi…my love," Yami broke through his cries, quickly stopping Yugi's action, if only for a slight moment._

 _"_ _I love you, Yami. I always have, I always will."_

Love is a wonderful thing. It connects people. It brings them close together. It gives you something to look forward to…something to live for! So how was it that Yugi was about to destroy the one thing that gave him purpose? He wasn't sure what the hell he was doing, but somewhere inside he felt he had to end this. Clinging tightly to Yami with one hand, and gripping the dagger with the other, he shook off the last of his nerves and prepared his hand to strike, lifting it higher with each second. _Love can't save the day this time._ He shut his eyes as his whole body shivered in mental agony.

 _Bring it down…_

 _Just do it already…_

 _Plunge the dagger…_

 _End this once and for all…_

 _Stop the pain…_

 _Stop it…_

 _Stop…_

 _STOP_

 _"_ _STOP!"_

 _"_ **STOP!"**

Yugi was a near second from thrusting the dagger straight into Yami's back, but a demanding voice that wasn't his mind had shrieked "stop" and caused Yugi to drop the dagger to the ground.

He quickly released his hold on Yami, shaking in hysterics with tears drenching his face.

"You stopped me?" Yugi stammered anxiously.

"Not me, Aibou," Yami corrected, wearing a puzzled face to prove he was just as lost as Yugi was.

"You knew?" Yugi's eyes widened in shock as he stumbled backwards.

"Yes, my light."

Yugi was fixated on the honest expression on the Pharaoh's face. "You were going to let me stab you? You knew?!"

"Yes."

In complete confusion, he spun around, jolting his head around in search for the source of that _voice._

"Who's out there?!" Yugi demanded in slight anger. Just what the hell was going on?

Seconds later, a blinding light destroyed the labyrinth that Yami may have once called home. The terrorizing maze of forgotten memories was eradicated and replaced with bright sunshine and openness. In the midst of the vast exposure to space, three bright gleams of sun spewed from the heavens and circled around the couple whom remained in utter shock. Yugi's jaw dropped as the balls of light transformed into three monsters he had learned to love.

Slifer, Obelisk and the Winged Dragon of Ra danced around their standing place as they united into the guardian of the afterlife whom they had not greeted until their trip in Ancient Egypt. Not knowing what to do, Yugi had dropped to his knees in respect and bowed his head.

"That is unnecessary," the sweet voice had replied.

"The Creator of Light!" Yami spewed out on a limb, taking a knee before the united god.

"Pharaoh, please get on your feet."

Yugi trembled to stand as Yami gracefully returned back to his stance.

"What is the meaning of this?" Yami motioned dryly.

"Pharaoh, I have returned to tell you that the prophecy is now complete."

Yugi couldn't understand. He tried so desperately to stop the dumbfound look that had spread on his face, but it just didn't want to leave. His legs quivered beneath him as he tried to logically piece things together. "But…I didn't kill him? And I didn't die?"

"His spiritual death was unnecessary," the creator of light replied. "It was the intent and the will-power to do so that allowed this prophecy to end."

"Wait…so…my friends…they were right…." Yugi nearly dropped to his knees right there, "…all along…"

"Yugi," Yami reached out to grab Yugi's shoulder for comfort.

"Pharaoh," the guardian spoke patiently, breaking Atem's concentration.

"Yes?"

"Bid your adieus and follow me."

It was something about how quickly she had returned and dismissed herself. It was something about the fact that there was no such thing as an adequate amount of time to say goodbye. Yami knew he couldn't break down in front of Yugi's friends back at the Ceremonial Duel sight, but there was something about being alone and having to apologize that made this breakup even more depressing.

"Yugi…"

"Where is she going?" Yugi stuttered with denial. "Where does she want you to go?" His voice shook as he sunk low to the ground, bowing his head in distraught.

Atem frowned at the heartbreak that he could see consume Yugi so quickly. He kneeled down, placing one hand on Yugi's thigh and the other on his shoulder. "The prophecy is complete. It's time for me to enter the afterlife, once and for all."

"I can't believe it," the teen chattered his teeth, weeping as he tried to make sense of all the burdening thoughts that circled his mind. "After all I went through…after all that _pain_ I had to endure…that's _it_?"

"Yugi, look at me."

"But it doesn't make sense, I believed you! I put everything I had into you! This is how you repay me?" His tremors grew intense.

"Please, my light, let me explain."

"I have to live it all over again," he wept weakly. "Just like my dreams."

"Yugi, listen to me!" His tone grew demanding, breaking Yugi from his stupor. "I am so proud of you," he whispered meaningfully in attempt to placate him, stroking his cheek for comfort.

"You were going to let me kill you? How did…how did you know?" Yugi sniffed back a few tears, looking fearfully into Atem's eyes. "I didn't know if stabbing you was-was going to change anything."

"Yugi, I've been rooting for you all along. The moment I could sense your conviction that it was me who had to be taken care of, I wanted to give you as much opportunity as I could." Yugi sunk his head towards the ground in guilt, but Atem cupped his chin to keep upmost eye contact, peering sweetly into his large and watery eyes. "I knew you would make the right decision."

One second staring into Yami's eyes and Yugi threw his arms helplessly around Yami, sobbing into his shoulder. "I almost _died_ for you…"

"And I couldn't be more thankful that you would trust me, Aibou."

He took a moment to pull back and look him straight on. "Trust you? You wanted me to _die_."

"I said it once and I'll say it again, I _never_ wanted you to die." He removed Yugi's arms from his embrace so he could look him in the eye to converse. "I couldn't tell you the truth. I couldn't tell anyone. If I did not uphold my end of the bargain, our souls could have been eradicated from existence. I couldn't allow that."

"I'm sorry," Yugi continued to bawl.

The words allowed Yami a slight chuckle. "After all I put you through, you are sorry?"

"I can't imagine all of the pain you had to experience just to fulfill this prophecy. I'm so sorry, Atem!"

Yami continued to cradle Yugi in comfort. "Oh my light, your heart is much too precious. I have learned a lot from you."

Yugi smiled sincerely, gripping his loved one a little tighter.

"I must apologize as well, little one. I'm sorry for breaking up your friends. They are truly so wonderful for extending so much understanding and devotion to the two of us. Please ask them for my forgiveness."

"My friends told me about all of the horrible things you did," Yugi shyly confronted. "Well, they didn't tell _me_ because they were scared of you. They told Ishizu, and she told me. Why did you have to be so…so cold?"

"Oh Aibou, it was with deep regret that I had to terrorize your loved ones. I couldn't allow them the chance to console you. My journey was to seduce you into death. The only way death ever looks appealing is if you feel all alone in the world. I am so deeply sorry. Please, please forgive me." Yami shook slightly as he remembered all of the disgusting things he had done. "I…I can't believe you had to go through that. That I _made_ you go through that."

"It wasn't easy," the teen admitted with a sigh, tearing away his attention from Yami's addictive wine eyes. "To put all of my faith into you in a time of such great depression. I blindly trusted you, and isolated all of my friends for your liking. I stood up for you when all you had done was try and seduce me into committing suicide. To hear you say you love me…and that you cherish me…and coax me into believing my friends were evil….and to hear you say that you need me to die…over and over again…just to find out that it was all a _lie._ Very few people are worth that type of forgiveness, Atem."

Yami sank his shoulders as he dealt with his light's reprimand. Perhaps Yugi would not take kindly to him after all?

"But it's over now. And you- _you_ are worth it. I forgive you. And I'm sure my friends will too."

Yami smiled painfully, sighing in relief and taking the second to twirl his finger around one of Yugi's sharp golden bangs. "You bare a kind soul. I couldn't risk losing it, not by my hand."

Yugi grinned softly, wiping a few tears from his cheek. "I-I just can't believe this! After all we went through…all the pain we suffered and caused each other. It ends here, doesn't it?"

"There is no end for you and I."

Yugi took the moment to intensely study Yami's face for whatever spark of emotion that he could label on the Pharaoh. He knew their time was dwindling, and this was a face he never wanted to forget. The way his lips curled so smoothly against his structured jawline and shimmering bronze skin. What a beautiful being.

"Is that a promise?" Yugi coaxed sweetly.

"An eternal one."

"Well, in that case, I want you to know that our other promise isn't broken."

Yami raised his eyebrow in slight confusion.

"That when this is all over, I'd love you just the same as I always did. I understand why what happened, happened. And I'm ready to put it behind us and love you the way I always have and always will."

Those words alone caused a few tears to drip down Atem's cheek.

"I'm sorry I mislead you, Yugi. I love you," he pulled him in for a loving embrace. "Yugi?"

"Yes?"

"You're strong enough to live on your own now. The prophecy is complete. This is the last time you will see me on earth."

The harsh reality caused a few more tears to slide down Yugi's face.

"But understand that this is far from over. You are mine. And I am yours. I never found love in my lifetime, but I have found it now. I have waited 5,000 years in complete darkness for someone like you. It was worth every second. I will continue to wait for you. We will be reunited again."

Yugi full out began crying again as he studied the sincerity on Atem's soft face.

"It's time for you to go home now, Aibou. It's time for you to live your life. But first, I want you to make me another promise. A couple, at that."

"Anything for you, my other."

"Promise me that you will live the life that I never got the chance to live. One with friendship, courage, excitement and trust."

"I…I promise," his voice cracked.

"Promise you will live nobly? With no regrets and no time to sulk?"

"I…I promise, Atem," he stumbled on saying his name.

"Promise you will love with your whole heart? Your friends, your family?"

"Promise."

"And promise…you won't forget about me?"

"I could never forget you. You made me who I am today. Losing you would mean losing myself."

"Well it's a good thing that you aren't losing me, then."

Yugi pulled him back in for a deep hug, clinging tightly to every muscle Yami had to offer. "I will wait the rest of my life for you."

"Yugi, don't make yourself unavailable because of me—"

"True love is a once in a lifetime thing," Yugi interrupted. "I could never love someone more than I love you." He traced a finger down the course of Yami's cheek. "You waited 5,000 years for me. I can wait 84 for you."

"I can't believe how fortunate I am, the gods have been quite generous with me."

"How so?" Yugi grinned devilishly.

"They gifted me with the sweetest of angels. There can never be another like you."

"I love you, Yami. So much…so damn much." Yugi's eyes began swelling with a dark shade of red due to the exhaustion of his water works. Yami took this into notice and hummed softly.

"No more crying, my light. There is peace now. Live your life in tranquility. I will see you soon." Yami raised from the ground, guiding Yugi with a strong grip of his hands.

"Tell your friends I said hi," Yugi sniffled with a smile.

"Only if you do the same," he winked.

The two shared an enticing gaze, slowly allowing the two to inch together and lose themselves in their love. Yami bent down for a chaste kiss on Yugi's cheek, pecking along the surface until he hit the corner of his lip. With impatience, Yugi pulled Yami in closer allowing their lips to collide in the most heavenly of ways. Yami let out a slight moan in surprise, taking pleasure in Yugi's sweet breath as it mingled with his own. It seemed impossible to deem just how much passion was packed into such a short amount of time.

With hesitance, the two pulled away. Time was knocking as the seconds passed.

"Until we meet again, Yugi Mutou," Yami bowed, politely taking Yugi's hand into his palm to kiss.

Yugi blushed sweetly at the act. "Goodby—"

"Ah ah!" Yami interrupted sweetly, wagging his finger. "No goodbye's, only see you later's. I _will_ be seeing you again."

"Yes, that's right," Yugi agreed confidently. It was the first time in what seemed like forever where he seemed assured and joyful. For he knew that this wasn't a tragic goodbye, yet rather a peaceful separation. A reunion was in play.

With reluctance, Yami released his hold on Yugi and backed away slightly, never letting his eyes drift away from Yugi's.

"Thank you, Yugi. For everything. Be strong for me." Yami smirked as he began to walk backwards.

"Thank _you_ ," Yugi grinned through a tear. "You'll be in my heart."

"As you in mine. I am with you always."

Yugi would never forget this moment. It was much gentler than his first separation with Yami. It was the type of departure he wouldn't have mind re-living in one of those dreams he was having before the Pharaoh had returned. Yugi felt like he had room to breathe and reason to be happy.

The great Pharaoh nodded his head with a smirk, turning confidently towards the direction he was walking towards, and following the light that had so desperately called for him.

"I'll be waiting for you, Yugi." The teen could hear the sweetness in Yami's voice as he continued to soldier on. He released a soft giggle of relief when he had seen the Pharaoh place out his arm to give off one of his famous thumbs up as he disappeared into the light for the final time.

 _Disappear into the light_ , he liked the sound of that. No more shadows. No more danger to enthrall them. Everything was going to be okay.

It was with this assurance that allowed Yugi to slip away and return to reality.

His eyes fluttered sharply, and as he regained his vision, he smiled sweetly at the sight of his greatest friends surrounding him.

"Yugi!" They all jumped in excitement.

"You guys look freezing," Yugi coughed as he shook himself awake.

"Are you okay?!" Tea quickly wrapped her arms around him.

With a quick retrace of his memories, the teen nodded politely. "Never felt better."

"What happened?" Tristan called out in worry.

"Maybe I can explain it over some tea," Yugi groaned as he tried to move his stiff body. "I have a lot of explaining to do, and a lot to thank you for."

"The Pharaoh…he's gone?" Ryou questioned, as if he already knew the answer.

"Yes."

"Did you-?"

"Kill him? Not quite."

"Wait, so you didn't—"

"Let's just say this story didn't have as tragic as an ending as we thought."

The gang smiled joyfully as they noticed a familiar gaze of joy in Yugi's persona.

"Let's get you home, bud."

()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()

"So they just let you go?"

"Once they realized I was about to end the prophecy, yes, they stopped me from actually having to kill him."

"Well, that's considerate?" Tea accepted in question.

"I suppose," Yugi chuckled with a sip of tea.

The gang sat quietly, allowing a moment to stir up what they had just heard as they nestled around the dining room table. Solomon had joined them with upmost relief as he had welcomed his Yugi back home.

"I want to thank you guys. Yami asks for your forgiveness too. He felt awful for having to hurt you the way he did, but it was either that or risk the "Eradication of our souls", so he put it."

"Your friends never gave up on you, my boy," Solomon clarified with confidence. "Even Kaiba went out of his way to assist you."

Yugi turned his attention towards the CEO, extending a firm nod of gratitude. Seto returned the notion.

"I feel so guilty about everything that happened. I owe you all my life."

"I'd do it a thousand times over for you, pal," Joey confirmed. "You're the reason I am who I am today. I am forever in your debt."

"No Joey, you're forever my best friend. We'd do anything for each other. I'd do anything for all of you. I can't thank you enough."

It was a tense moment filled with overwhelming love and compassion.

"So that's it, huh? The Pharaoh's gone and everything goes back to the way it was?" Tristan asked.

"No," Yugi differed. "I'm stronger now. Yami is…he's special to me, but I'm never going to take sulk over his absence again. I don't feel the need to. I feel like this heavy chip has lifted off my shoulder. The moment the prophecy ended, I felt like I could breath. As if, this whole time I was breathing in smoke and the air was finally clean. I feel fresh…new. I'm ready to start over. I'm ready to _live."_

"That's wonderful!"

"Yeah, it is," Yugi nodded cheerfully. "Yami wants me to be happy. It doesn't seem so hard anymore. I know he's with me…watching over me…waiting for me. We will have all of eternity to be together, but for now, it's time to be with you. I never want to take advantage of your friendship again."

"We're here for you, Yugi, every step of the way." Ryou assured.

"Yeah…" the teen pondered the thought. "I know."

That was it. That was the moment Yugi knew that every single thing was going to be okay. It was a wave of confidence and assurance that once could only be supplied by Yami, and now he was creating it on his own.

Sharing a gulp of laughter with his friends as they reminisced about the golden days brought a genuine grin to his cheeks. And who would have known that the smell of Grandpa burning popcorn could bring such giggles to the table? It was the way Seto and Joey got over their derogatory jabs and had an arm wrestling contest on the table, where Tristan had the pleasure on fully announcing each twitch of muscle that jerked out of their arms. Something about the charming beam on Tea's face when Yugi asked if she would be interested in dinner that weekend as a way to make up for his behavior. And nothing could beat the extent of adorable Ryou was portraying by acting like the host at Yugi's house and filling up everyone's mug with tea an abundance of times. His response to the action?

"I'll feel less guilty about drinking so much if you bloke share a cup with me."

Yes, the air was frigid and alarming, but the hominess that the friends were sharing brought enough heat to the table.

As time passed, a person would leave here and there.

"Mokuba has been wondering where I am," Seto announced, slipping his coat back on as a way to express his dismissal. "You still owe me a rematch, Yugi," Seto taunted, with the slightest of smirks curling on his lips.

"Just name the time and place," Yugi grinned, watching as Kaiba strutted off into the night.

"I better get going too, Yugi. It was so nice to spend time with you. I hope we can all hang out again some time," Ryou beamed.

"Oh of course! And besides, you and I still need to hang out alone sometime. There's a lot I want to know about you."

Ryou nodded in assent. "I look forward to it," he hummed, waving to everyone as he walked out the door.

Half an hour later, Tristan rustled his hand through Yugi's hair. "It's nice to have you back, Yugi. You still gunna teach me how to duel?"

"You can bet on it!"

"I better leave with Tristan," Tea announced while grabbing her jacket. She looked Yugi sincerely in the eyes, gleaming with joy as she could almost re piece Yugi's authenticity from his expression alone. "I can't wait to spend time with you again," she revealed, pulling Yugi into a hug.

The teen sighed with relief. "Same here, Tea."

The dancer gave off a friendly wink before being escorted out by Tristan. The atmosphere cooled drastically as Joey was the last friend to remain. The two friends spent some time alone to bond by playing video games and munching on pizza that Grandpa had stored in the fridge. "Joey, feel free to stay the night if you'd like." Yugi invited as he noticed Joey sighing heavily.

"I'd love tah, Yug, but I gotta get going. Got some chores to do early tomorrow morning. But hey," Joey gazed intently into Yugi's eyes. "I don't know if I made this clear earlier, but, you mean a lot to me…and…let's say, I'm really honored to welcome you home, bud."

Yugi made a mental note to not cry earlier, but he had to make a small exception for this. Besides, it was a silent tear. And it was worth it. Yugi snuck his arms around Joey, holding him tight and finding true solace in his best friend's hold.

"I love you, Joey. Thanks for being my best friend."

"Thank _you_ , Yugi. Thank _you._ "

Once everyone had left, Solomon joined Yugi on the couch for a little bonding time before bed.

"Grandpa…"

"Yugi."

"I'm so sorry…about everything!" He resigned, feeling guilt eat away at him.

"Oh Yugi, you are not at fault for anything. And neither is the Pharaoh."

"You forgive me?" Yugi asked, crawling by his Grandpa's side. "You forgive _him?_ "

"Of course I do! You're my grandson! There's not a single thing about you that I could hold a grudge against," Solomon assured, rubbing Yugi's shoulder all the while. "Pharaoh Atem gave us all quite the scare, but if you can forgive him, then so can we. He did save my life many years ago, anyhow."

They sat like that for some time, soaking up in the comfort of peace that the household just seemed to swirl with. After some time, Grandpa was ready to make his leave. "Goodnight, Yugi. Are you going to be okay?" He asked from the bottom of the stairs.

Yugi tilted his head to ponder. Would he? But of course! Everything was going to be fine. This time, no hidden depression laced his mind. He softened up at the thought of his darkness, but he knew the Pharaoh wasn't far out of reach. Matter a fact, he could swear that Yami was smiling in his heart with upmost approval. One day they would be together again, but for now…

Yugi had time to live.

"Yeah Grandpa, I'm going to be just fine."

* * *

 ** _A/N: Hello my friends, that's the end! I hope you enjoyed it, I couldn't find complete satisfaction with it, but perhaps that's just because I hate ending stories. Please let me know what you think, and I may or may not be up for writing an epilogue if you guys want one! Just let me know. Thanks so much for reading! All my loving, Cheers!_**


	26. Epilogue: Welcome to Paradise

**_A/N: Hello my lovelies! This is the last "chapter" for Hidden Prophecy. If you like the way it ended before, this chapter isn't required to read. It in no way changes anything, rather it just sort of ties things together. "It's sad and it's sweet and I knew it complete" haha, hope you enjoy it._**

* * *

 _I can't remember how long ago it was. Time perception never did me any justice, considering my true love is outside of such a manmade boundary. It was never the days, the months or the years that I kept track of, rather it was the memories and the moments that I treasured._

 _It was never easy when you left. That was obvious after our first separation, and heck, it wasn't so simple the second time either. It was a hazy month; they told me I was recovering. There was no depression or hurt, instead, it was just me trying to fill the space that you had created when you left me behind._

 _But thank goodness for my friends, because they covered any trace of gloom that was there. About two months after you had left, I felt complete for the first time since the end of that prophecy. I had this schedule, and it was fool proof!_

 _Mondays and Tuesdays I would get all my homework done for the week, and then help Grandpa with the shop. I dreaded the school work, but completing it allowed me to have lots of fun for the remainder of the week. Wednesdays the gang and I would head to the arcade, and on the way, we always got some ice cream. Vanilla chocolate soft serve twist…my favorite! Thursday's Tea always had work, so Tristan and Joey would take me to the cliff you used to bring me to. It's where we had our "guy time", or so Grandpa called it. Sometimes we'd go to Burger World before and have a late lunch up there, and other times, the talking would suffice._

 _Friday's were the best of them all! As the weather got warmer, we'd go to the beach or go rock climbing! Sometimes we'd go for hikes or drive downtown and go shopping. It was different every week, and I think that's what I really loved the most._

 _Saturday's and Sundays were relaxing, and always changing. Sometimes Gramps and I would run errands and catch lunch afterwards. Other times I'd visit a single friend from the gang, mostly because everyone was too busy to get them all at once. Ha, I remember all the little dates I would have! Sometimes it would be just me and Ryou going to the movies or catching up…other times Tea and I would run around town and get some coffee…Tristan let me ride on his motorcycle once and I thought I was going to die! Oh, and there was that one time we all helped Joey move into his apartment! Those were the days!_

 _But the days changed. We all graduated from high school and had to start planning out whether or not we wanted to continue our education. Would we stay in Domino? Would we move out? Would any of us stay together? After all we had done, was it finally going to be…over?_

 _I'll never forget the day Tea left for New York City. She wouldn't stop rambling about it, not since she had got her acceptance letter to NYU's dance program. It was extremely warm that day… the sun was shining and everyone was so happy for her! I was too…but I couldn't deny the overwhelming sadness I felt. We exchanged some really heart felt words that day. She so desperately wanted to stay connected. "You're always welcome," or "Please come visit me." I did occasionally, but one must always move on._

 _Tristan worked at an automotive shop for a while, but eventually he wanted to start his own business. That required schooling, so he moved two hours outside of Domino to attend a technical college. I was proud of him…but of course, I missed the guy._

 _Ryou moved back to England three years after high school was out. I was at Domino University at the time. It broke my heart to hear he was leaving, but he claimed that he just couldn't find solace in Domino anymore. Some of his family members were getting sick and he felt it was just the best thing to do at the time. What more could I do?_

 _Kaiba never hit a plateau of "what should I do?" or "where do I go from here?" He had life made, considering his wealth, business tactics and steady reputation. His company only improved, and with that Duel Monsters Academy up and running, he'll be set for a long time._

 _Joey…oh Joey. He's a vagabond. Never in one place for too long. I've gone with him on some of his trips, but eventually they got too wild for me. They started with him chasing the location of Duel Monsters tournaments…but it ended with him moving to Brazil for five years. He calls me every day. Occasionally he'll come back to Domino to check up on me, and Kaiba will often hire him for teaching gigs at his school, but Joey can never stay long enough before his next urge to leave will hit him._

 _And me? What have I done? I started my journey with going to University for a degree in computer science. On the side I helped Grandpa with the shop and worked with Kaiba for some time, and taking part in all of his tournaments. I still reign as the King of Games, I thought you should know._

 _I never left Domino. I felt utterly connected to it, no matter how many times people told me to get out. Life was simple. I was set forever, seeing as I worked for Kaiba, ran my own game shop, and had connections with all of the big names like Industrial Illusions. This is where I belong. You and I sowed our ties here, what other place on earth could be better?_

 _Time passed, and all my friends ended up getting married. Once a year we all had this big reunion as a way to keep in touch and wish praise for another year. It was lovely, and to be honest, there's nothing more that I love than seeing my friends succeed._

 _There were some bumps along the road, of course. Grandpa passed away when I hit 27. It was a rough patch of time, but hey, maybe you guys get together sometimes. The hope that you and him are together watching over me is what helps the pain ease._

 _As called, I never got married. It was an idea I tossed around a few times as the years passed, but, ever since the cancer decided to visit, I never wanted to pull anyone down with me._

 _I've had it for three years now. At first it was tolerable. I was able to keep working and soldier on, but after a while, chemo and medications slowed me down._

 _So here I am. Here everyone is. The gang thinks I'm sleeping, but really I just wanted some alone time to write down my thoughts. Aren't they the greatest? Joey flew in from Spain when he heard I was utterly sick. Tea flew in from NYC, Ryou from England, and Tristan took the nearest highway and zoomed over in a few hours. Kaiba visits on the weekends. Him and I grew pretty close over the years, can you imagine? I love my friends. They kept me alive. And now…they'll watch me die._

 _But at least they didn't have to watch me die all those years ago. They saved my life. I love them, so damn much._

 _And now I get to be with you! I'm not scared of death. It was a simple and sweet life, but now I'm ready for paradise. A lot of people are able to fight cancer for many years, but seeing as I'd rather be with you, I guess it consumed me much faster._

 _I'm not one to complain. My friends understand. I'm sure you do too. Well, I'll see you soon, my love. No more waiting._

 _()()()()()()()()(()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()_

"How much longer does he got?" Joey sighed heavily as he stared intently at Yugi's sleeping form.

"Not much, Mr. Wheeler. Any day now, I regret to say," a nurse hummed softly. "Just call me if you need me," she nodded politely before dismissing herself.

Tea clasped her knuckles together as loose tears slid down her face. "Oh Yugi," she cried quietly. "I don't want you to go."

"No one does, Tea," Ryou assured while rubbing her shoulder. "But it should be of solace that a special someone is waiting for him."

Tristan began scratching at his head in aggravation. "I should have been here for him! I lived closest to him and I barely even stopped by!"

"It's not your fault, Tristan. Yugi wouldn't have wanted you to stress about him," Ryou continued.

"Doesn't make it hurt any less."

"Yugi liked it here, right?" Tea asked. "I just want to make sure that he enjoyed the life he lived."

"Of course he did!" Joey swung into the conversation. "I called him every day, and every day he told me about all of his adventures at work, and the game shop, and his new friends…and…" Joey's voice cracked as he continued to find strength to speak, "How he couldn't wait to see us and catch up…and what new dishes he made….and all of the shit Kaiba would say that would have us laughing for hours…and the duel academy, and all of the students he'd teach and the tournaments he won…" Joey sniffled slightly, "and I'm gunna miss him…I'm gunna miss him a whole fucking lot."

A soft closing of the door caused the gang's attention to redirect. Standing in the midst was Kaiba with a bouquet of flowers and a card. He nodded his head in greeting, no expression on his face to be seen. "How is he?"

"Not doing so well," Tristan muttered through his own guilt.

Kaiba cocked his head as he noticed Yugi in a slumber. "Will he be awake soon?"

"He just sleeps all day. It's hard to tell," Ryou answered.

Joey raised his eyebrows. "You brought him flowers?"

The CEO cleared his throat nervously. "Yugi and I have become very close. He's one of my greatest employees."

"Is that all he is to you?" Tristan questioned curiously.

With a quick roll of the eyes, he answered "Yugi has also become one of my greatest friends throughout the years. It pains me to know he won't make it. The least I can do is show my respect."

"Thank you, Kaiba," Tea approved. "I'm sure your presence means a lot to Yugi, it sure means a hell of a lot to us."

The CEO nodded in acceptance as they dwelled in the silence that the hospital room had to offer.

"Stay strong, Yug," Joey whispered to his friend, kneeling beside his bed. "We're here with you."

The atmosphere grew even more solemn as the tension radiated between the gang of friends. All throughout their lives they stayed connected and remained strong. It hadn't mattered where they lived or who they were with as long as they could return home. A soft hum cooed from Yugi's lips for the slightest of moments, followed by a silence even more dry than before. No one had even noticed that it was the last sound Yugi would ever make. Death welcomed him with open arms.

()()()()()()()()()()()()()

"Yugi."

The sound of his name lured Yugi to his wake. He rubbed his eyes slowly before allowing them to hesitantly open. Confusion immediately over rid him as he was met with the sight of a large golden throne before him, hovered by red velvet drapes in the background. He quickly stumbled to his feet with wide eyes as he took the marble white floors into notice.

 _Where the hell am I?_ He asked himself as he tried to allow the imagery sink into his conscience. It was a place all too familiar, yet much too distant in his memories to claim.

/ _Why don't you take a look around? Refresh your memory, perhaps?/_

Yugi quickly jumped in his tracks at the sound of a comforting voice in his mind. He looked up and gasped at the sight of such a high rooftop, with chandeliers dangling from the crevice. Lost in wonder, he stumbled his way to the throne, and peered into its dazzling shine.

"OH MY GOD!" Yugi cried as he noticed how young he looked. He was a teenager again! Quickly he began touching his skin and tracing lines on his face.

/ _You're beautiful./_

"Who's there?" Yugi shouted into the abyss, praying someone would answer.

"Yugi, it's me."

A solidified presence hovered behind Yugi. After a deep breath, Yugi slowly turned around to be greeted by one of the most amazing people he had ever known.

He was a beauty adorned in solid gold jewelry that ran up the length of his arms, sat gently around his neck, and proudly standing at the crown of his head. His purple cloak clung tightly around his neck and rested dearly over his back. The Pharaoh's tan skin glimmered from the light shone by the chandeliers. A smile so soft and meaningful that Yugi nearly collapsed where he stood, but instead, he threw himself into his love's gentle arms.

"You're here! You waited for me!" Yugi sobbed willfully.

"Of course I did. Just as you waited for me."

"It's been so long!"

"37 years, to be exact."

"I was 53?! I died when I was…oh my goodness…" Yugi pulled away for a slight moment. "I _died._ "

"My dearest apologies, Aibou. I know it must have been difficult leaving your friends behind."

Startled, Yugi investigated his hands, taking into notice how smooth they were. He couldn't believe that he had died and was transformed into his younger body.

"They all came to the hospital when they heard I was about to die," Yugi mumbled softly.  
"They love me. That's all I can ask for."

Yami listened politely as Yugi went off on a small tangent.

"They all have such beautiful lives with people they love. They're so successful now. I'm so happy for them."

"I know, my light. I have been watching all these years."

"You don't think they're angry at me, do you? For leaving so early?"

Yami grabbed Yugi's hands, gazing deeply into his eyes. "They know you are with me. They are relieved that you have found love once again."

That was all he had to say. Yugi grasped Yami and pulled him in tightly with tears of joys filling his eyes.

"I get to spend all of eternity with you!"

"I look forward to every moment," the gentle Pharaoh winked, taking Yugi's hand and leading him outside of the throne room. "There are so many people I'd like to reintroduce you to."

"Like your cousin? And Mahad and Mana? And Shada? And—"

Atem chuckled at Yugi's eagerness. "Yes of course, but first, your Grandpa would like a word with you."

"He's here?!" Yugi boasted in cheer.

"They're all here, Yugi. Your parents, your grandparents, your family and friends…everyone you could ever want to see is here waiting for you."

With that, Yugi's heart melted into complete warmth and satisfaction. Life on earth was nice. It was sweet and healthy and Yugi had many great memories. But the moment he saw Yami's face waiting for him in all of his glory, Yugi knew that this life would be utter paradise.

"You made my life worth living," Yugi decided to toss out as he gripped Yami's hand tighter.

"And you made my life worth sacrificing."

It would all be perfect now. This was the day Yugi always dreamed of. And now, its splendor would last forever.

* * *

 ** _A/N: I just want to thank everyone for reading this story! This was my first YGO fanfic, and also my first story ever told in third person, which was quite challenging at first, but I ended up loving it. Thank you for sticking with me, and a special shout out to anyone who reviewed. Hopefully more puzzleshipping is on the way! All my loving, cheers!_**


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